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Library 

California 


THE    TOMB    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


THE 


HOME    OF   SHAKSPEARE, 


ILLUSTRATED   AND   DESCRIBED. 


BY    F.     W.     FAIRHOLT,    F.  S.  A. 

AUTHOR  OP  "  COSTUME   IN  ENGLAND,"  ETC. 


THIRTY-THREE    ENGRAVINGS. 


NEW-YORK: 
WM.    TAYLOR    &    CO., 

151   NASSAU-STREET,    CORNER   OF   SPRUCE. 


THE 


HOME   OF   SHAKSPERE, 


ALL  that  is  known  with  any  degree  of  certainty  concerning 
Shakspere  is  —  that  he  was  born  at  Stratford-upon-Avon — married 
and  had  children  there  —  went  to  London,  where  he  commenced 
actor,  and  wrote  poems  and  plays  —  returned  to  Stratford,  made  his 
will,  died,  and  was  buried.  Such  is  the  concise  biography  of  our 
greatest  poet,  as  given  by  Steevens  ;  and  although  volumes  have 
been  written,  more  or  less  conjectural,  on  his  life  and  times,  they 
scarcely  add  a  single  fact  to  the  meagre  list  of  ordinary  events  he 
has  enumerated.  Slight,  however,  as  these  notices  are,  they  invest 
the  humble  town  of  Stratford-upon-Avon  with  an  interest  which  it 
would  not  otherwise  possess.  It  was  peculiarly  the  home  of  Shaks- 
pere :  here  he  was  born ;  here  he  passed  his  early  youth ;  here  he 
courted  and  won  Anne  Hathaway  ;  here  he  sought  that  retirement 
which  the  avocations  of  his  London  career  would  occasionally  allow 
him  to  indulge  in  ;  and  here,  when  in  riper  age  he  had  won  honours 
and  fortune  in  the  great  capital,  he  chose  to  return,  and  pass  the 
latter  days  of  a  life  where  he  had  first  seen  the  light :  at  Stratford 
he  died  and  was  buried.  "  From  the  birthplace  of  Shakspere,"  says 
Washington  Irving,  "  a  few  paces  brought  me  to  his  grave." 

All  that  connects  itself  with  the  personal  history  of  "  the  world's 
poet"  at  Stratford  is  thus  almost  as  closely  condensed  as  are  the 


6  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

few  words  quoted  above,  which  form  his  biography.  A  day  at  Strat- 
ford affords  ample  time  to  visit  all  these  places  ;  they  lie  so  close, 
that  a  few  minutes'  walk  only  separates  them.  In  these  days  of 
change,  when  the  birthplace  of  the  Poet  is  scarcely  safe,  and  Strat- 
ford is  threatened  with  the  spoliation  of  what  little  remains  to  it,  it 
must  be  a  work  of  interest  to  record  and  picture  the  few  relics  con- 
nected with  the  Bard  of  Avon,  the  more  particularly  as  alterations 
are  continually  taking  place  there ;  which,  if  they  do  not  destroy, 
do  at  least  change  the  aspect  of  much  that  is  interesting  to  all  lovers 
of  the  poet,  and  "  their  name  is  legion."  We  will  therefore  con- 
duct the  reader  over  Stratford  and  its  neighborhood,  minutely  des- 
cribing all  that  at  present  exists,  and  enumerating  what  has  passed 
away,  commencing  our  journey  at 

SHAKSPERE'S   BIRTHPLACE. 

The  house  in  Henley  Street,  as  it  at  present  exists,  is  but  a  frag- 
ment of  the  original  building  as  purchased  by  John  Shakspere,  the 
Poet's  father,  in  1574,  ten  years  exactly  after  the  birth  of  his  son 
William,  the  entry  of  whose  baptism  is  dated  in  the  parish  register, 
April  26,  1564.  John  Shakspere  had  purchased  in  1555  a  copyhold 
house  in  Henley  Street,  but  this  was  not  the  house  now  shown  as 
the  Poet's  birthplace ;  he  had  also  another  copyhold  residence  in 
Greenhill  Street,  and  some  property  at  Ingon,  a  mile  and  a  quarter 
from  Stratford,  on  the  road  to  Warwick.  From  these  circumstances 
a  modern  doubt  has  been  cast  on  the  truthfulness  of  the  tradition 
which  assigns  the  house  in  Henley  Street  to  be  the  Poet's  birthplace. 
Mr.  Knight  says :  "  William  Shakspere,  then,  might  have  been  born 
at  either  of  his  father's  copyhold  houses  in  Greenhill  Street  or  in 
Henley  Street;  he  might  have  been  born  at  Ingon,  or  his  father 
might  have  occupied  one  of  the  two  freehold  houses  in  Henley 


1 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  9 

Street  at  the  time  of  the  birth  of  his  eldest  son.     Tradition 


that  William  Shakspere  teas  born  in  one  of  these  houses  ;  tradition 
points  out  the  very  room  in  which  he  was  born.  Let  us  not  disturb 
the  belief"  A  wise  conclusion !  Antiquarian  credulity  has  given 
place  to  an  extreme  degree  of  scepticism ;  and  from  believing  too 
much,  we  are  now  too  much  given  to  believe  too  little;  add  to 
this  the  anxiety  which  many  evince  to  write  about  Shakspere,  al- 
though little  else  but  conjecture  in  its  vaguest  form  be  the  result; 
and  the  value  of  the  modern  conjecture  as  opposed  to  the  ancient 
tradition  may  very  readily  be  estimated.  Let  Stratford  ever  sacred- 
ly preserve  the  venerable  structure  with  which  she  is  entrusted; 
pilgrims  from  all  climes  have  felt  a  glow  of  enthusiasm  beneath  the 
humble  roof  in  Henley  Street.  Let  no  rude  pen  destroy  such  heart- 
homage,  or  seek  to  deprive  us  of  the  little  we  possess  connected 
with  our  immortal  countryman ! 

When  John  Shakspere  purchased  this  house  from  Edmund  Hall 
for  forty  pounds,  it  was  described  in  the  legal  documents  as  two 
messuages,  two  gardens,  and  two  orchards,  with  their  appurtenances. 
It  passed  at  his  death  to  his  son  William,  and  from  him  to  his  sister 
Joan  Hart,  who  was  residing  there  in  1639,  and  probably  until  her 
death  in  1646.  Throughout  the  Poet's  life  the  house  is  thus  inti- 
mately connected  with  him.  Its  original  features  may  be  seen  in 
our  first  view,  which  was  taken  in  1769.  It  was  a  large  building, 
the  timbers  of  substantial  oak,  the  walls  filled  in  with  plaster.  The 
dormer  windows  and  gable,  the  deep  porch,  the  projecting  parlour, 
and  bay  window,  all  contribute  to  render  it  exceedingly  picturesque. 
The  division  of  the  house  into  two  tenements  is  here  very  visible. 
The  changes  it  has  undergone  since  this  view  was  taken,  and  which 
has  reduced  the  original  building  to  a  mere  fragment,  will  be  best 
understood  by  a  glance  at  our  next  two  views.  In  1792,  when  Ire- 
land visited  the  house,  it  exhibited  the  appearance  given  in  the 


10  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

upper  portion  of  our  third  plate.  The  dormer  windows  and  gable 
had  been  removed  ;  the  bay  window  beneath  the  gable  had  given 
place  to  an  ordinary  flat  lattice-window  of  four  lights ;  the  porch  in 
front  of  that  portion  of  the  building  in  which  Shakspere  was  born 
was  removed,  and  a  butcher's  shop-front  constructed.  At  this  time 
there  lived  here  a  descendant  of  Joan  Hart,  sister  to  the  Poet,  who 
pursued  the  humble  occupation  of  a  butcher.  The  other  half  of  the 
house  was  at  this  time  converted  into  an  inn,  and  ultimately  sunk 
into  a  low  public-house.  It  had  been  known  as  the  Maidenhead 
Inn  in  1642 ;  and  when,  in  1806,  the  house  was  disposed  of  to  Mr. 
Thomas  Court,  who  became  "mine  host"  thereof,  he  combined  that 
name  with  the  one  it  then  held  of  the  Swan.  About  1820,  excited 
by  a  desire  for  "  improvement,"  he  destroyed  the  original  appear- 
ance of  this  portion  of  the  building  by  constructing  a  new  red-brick 
front,  exactly  of  the  approved  fashion  in  which  rows  of  houses  are 
built  in  small  towns,  and  which  consists  generally  of  an  alternate 
door  and  window,  repeated  at  regular  intervals  below,  while  a  mon- 
otonous range  of  windows  above  effectually  repulses  attention. 
This  brings  us  to  its  present  aspect,  delineated  in  the  lower  cut  of 
Plate  3.  The  house  is  now  divided  into  three  tenements ;  the  cen- 
tral one  is  the  portion  set  apart  for  exhibition,  in  the  back  rooms  of 
which  live  the  proprietors ;  the  shop,  the  room  above,  and  the  kitch- 
en, are  sacred  to  visitors.  When  the  lower  part  of  the  central  ten- 
ement was  made  to  serve  for  a  butcher's  shop,  its  window  was  re- 
moved, and  has  not  been  replaced ;  and  when  the  butcher's  trade 
ceased,  a  few  years  since,  no  attempt  at  restoration  was  made,  and 
the  shop  still  retains  the  signs  of  its  late  occupation.  The  old  win- 
dow in  the  upper  story,  originally  a  lattice  of  three  lights,  had  been 
altered  into  one  of  four ;  and  modern  squares  of  glass  usurped  the 
place  of  the  old  leaded  diamond-panes.  A  board  for  flower-pots 
was  erected  in  front  of  the  window ;  but  more  recently  a  large,  ob- 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


11 


trusive,  rudely -painted  sign-board  projects  from  the  front  to  tell  us 
"the  immortal  Shakspere  was  born  in  this  house."  Such  is  its 
present  external  aspect :  "  it  is  a  small,  mean-looking  edifice,"  says 
Irving ;  it  was  not  so  in  Shakspere's  time. 


Ascending  the  step,  we  pass  into  the  shop.  The  door  is  di- 
vided into  a  hatch,  and  we  look  back  into  the  street  above  the 
lower  half,  and  through  the  open  window  of  the  shop,  with  its  pro- 
jecting stall  for  meat,  and  its  wooden  roof  above.  The  walls  of 
this  room  are  of  plaster,  and  the  solid  oak  beams  rest  on  the  stone 
foundation.  On  entering,  the  visitor  looks  towards  the  kitchen, 
through  the  open  door  communicating  with  the  shop.  On  the  right 
is  a  roomy  fire-place,  the  sides  built  of  brick,  ana  having  the  chim- 
ney-piece above  cut  with  a  low-pointed  arch  out  of  a  massive  beam 
of  oak.  To  the  left  of  the  door  is  a  projection  in  the  wall,  which 
forms  a  recess  or  "  bacon  cupboard,"  the  door  of  which  opens  in 
the  side  of  the  kitchen  chimney  of  the  adjoining  room.  The  floor 


12  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

is  covered  with  flag-stones,  broken  into  fifty  varied  shapes  ;  the  roof 
displays  the  bare  timbers  upon  which  the  upper  story  rests. 

A  raised  step  leads  from  the  shop  to  the  kitchen ;  it  is  a  small 
square  room,  with  a  stone  floor  and  a  roof  of  massive  timbers.     A 
door  opposite   the  shop  leads  to  an  inner  room,  inhabited  by  the 
person  who  shews  the  house.      The  fireplace  here  is  large  and 
roomy,  the  mantel-tree  a  solid  beam  of  oak.     Within  the  fireplace, 
on  one  side,  is  a  hatch,  opening  to  the  "  bacon  cupboard"  already 
spoken  of;  on  the  opposite  side,  is  a  small  arched  recess  fora  chair: 
here  often  sat  John  Shakspere  ;  and  here   his  young  son  William 
passed  his  earliest  days.     Ireland  compares  the  kitchen  to  the  sub- 
jects which  "  so  frequently  employed  the  rare  talents  of  Ostade." 
In  the  corner  of  the  chimney  stood  an  old  oak  chair,  which  had  for 
a  number  of  years  received  nearly  as  many  adorers  as  the  celebrated 
shrine  of  the  Lady  of  Loretto.      This  relic  was  purchased  in  July 
1790  by  the  Princess  Czartoryska,  who  made  a  journey  to  this  place, 
in  order  to  obtain  intelligence  relative  to  Shakspere ;  and  being  told 
he  had  often  sat  in  this  chair,  she  placed  herself  in  it,  and  expressed 
an  ardent  wish  to  become  the  purchaser;  but  being  informed  that  it 
was  not  to  be  sold  at  any  price,  she  left  a  handsome  gratuity  to  old 
Mrs.  Harte,  and  left  the  place  with  apparent  regret.      About  four 
'months  after,  the  anxiety  of  the  princess  could  no  longer  be  with- 
held, and  her  secretary  was  despatched  express',  as  the  fit  agent,  to 
purchase  this  treasure  at  any  rate ;  the  sum  of  twenty  guineas  was 
the  price  fixed  on,  and  the  secretary  and  chair,  with  a  proper  certi- 
ficate of  its  authenticity  on  stamped  paper,  set  off  in  a  chaise  for 
London. 

With  that  anxiety  to  supply  relic-hunters  who  visit  Stratford,  and 
who  sometimes  feel  disappointed  with  the  little  which  remains  there 
connected  with  the  Poet,  the  absence  of  the  genuine  chair  was  not 
long  felt.  A  very  old  chair  is  still  in  the  place  ;  and  Washington 


PLATE     III 


SHAKSPERE'S  BIRTHPLACE,  1792. 


SHAKSPERE'S  BIRTHPLACE,  1847. 


13 


PLATE    IV. 


SHARSPERE'S  BIRTHPLACE— INTERIOR  OF  T#E   SHOP. 


SHAKSPERE'S    BIRTHPLACE_THE 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  17 

Irving  thus  speaks  of  a  chair  he  saw  in  1820 :  "  The  most  favorite 
object  of  curiosity,  however,  is  Shakspere's  chair.  It  stands  in  the 
chimney-nook  of  a  small  gloomy  chamber,  just  behind  what  was  his 
father's  shop.  Here  he  may  many  a  time  have  sat  when  a  boy, 
watching  the  slowly-revolving  spit  with  all  the  longing  of  an  urchin ; 
or  of  an  evening,  listening  to  the  crones  and  gossips  of  Stratford, 
dealing  forth  churchyard  tales  and  legendary  anecdotes  of  the 
troublesome  times  of  England.  In  this  chair  it  is  the  custom  for 
every  one  that  visits  the  house  to  sit ;  whether  this  is  done  with  the 
hope  of  imbibing  any  of  the  inspiration  of  the  bard  I  am  at  a  loss 
to  say ;  I  merely  mention  the  fact ;  and  mine  hostess  privately  as- 
sured me,  that  though  built  of  solid  oak,  such  was  the  present  zeal 
of  devotees,  that  the  chair  had  to  be  new-bottomed  at  least  once  in 
three  years.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  also,  in  the  history  of  this  ex- 
traordinary chair,  that  it  partakes  something  of  the  volatile  nature 
of  the  Santa  Casa  of  Loretto,  or  the  flying  chair  of  the  Arabian 
enchanter;  for  though  sold  some  years  since  to  a  northern  princess, 
yet,  strange  to  tell,  it  has  found  its  way  back  again  to  the  old  chim- 
ney-corner." 

Of  the  sort  of  Shaksperian  relics  exhibited  in  the  house  at  this 
time  he  gives  an  amusing  list.  "  There  was  the  shattered  stock  of 
the  very  matchlock  with  which  Shakspere  shot  the  deer,  on  his 
poaching  exploit ;  there,  too,  was  his  tobacco-box,  which  proves  that 
he  was  a  rival  smoker  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh ;  the  sword  also  with 
which  he  played  Hamlet ;  and  the  identical  lanthorn  with  which 
Friar  Laurence  discovered  Romeo  and  Juliet.  There  was  an  am- 
ple supply  also  of  Shakspere's  mulberry-tree,  which  seems  to  have 
as  extraordinary  powers  of  self-multiplication  as  the  wood  of  the 
true  cross,  of  which  there  is  enough  extant  to  build  a  ship  of  the 
line." 

Opposite  the  fire-place  in  the  kitchen  is  a  window,  and  beside 


18  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

this  is  the  stair  which  leads  into  the  room  in  which  the  Poet  was 
born.  It  is  a  low-roofed  apartment,  receiving  its  only  light  from  the 
large  window  in  front.  The  same  huge  beams  project  from  the 
plastered  walls,  one  of  considerable  solidity  crossing  the  ceiling. 
The  fire-place  projects  close  to  the  door  which  leads  into  the  room; 
an  immense  beam  of  oak  forms  the  mantel  tree ;  a  large  piece  is  cut 
out  of  one  corner,  the  work  of  an  enthusiastic  young  lady — so  said 
the  late  proprietress,  who  declares  that  she  was  kept  in  conversation 
below  by  the  lady's  female  friend  while  the  act  was  done.  She 
told  many  similar  stories  of  Shaksperian  enthusiasm,  and  never  left 
the  room  or  lost  sight  of  any  one  after  this  daring  trick.  To  be 
permitted  to  sleep  in  the  room,  she  stated,  was  a  very  ordinary  re- 
quest made  to  her  which  she  occasionally  gratified ;  while  such  fits 
of  enthusiasm  as  bursting  into  tears,  or  falling  down  and  kissing  the 
floor,  were  ordinary  matters,  scarcely  worth  her  noticing. 

Of  the  old  furniture  in  this  room,  and  that  throughout  the  house, 
it  may  be  hardly  necessary  to  remark,  that  it  has  no  absolute  con- 
nexion with  Shakspere.  A  portrait  of  Shakspere,  on  panel,  a  poor 
performance,  was  brought  from  the  White  Lion  Inn,  a  few  doors 
from  this  house. 

In  this  room  the  visitor,  if  he  pleases,  may  sign  his  name  in  the 
book  kept  for  that  purpose.  About  1815,  the  conductors  of  the 
public  library  at  Stratford  gave  to  Mrs.  Hornby,  the  then  proprie- 
tress of  the  house,  a  book  for  that  purpose,  the  walls  and  windows 
having  been  covered  before.  Among  many  hundreds  of  names  of 
persons  of  all  grades  and  countries,  occur  those  of  Byron,  Scott, 
and  Washington  Irving,  the  latter  three  times.  Many  are  accom- 
panied by  expressions  of  feeling,  others  by  stanzas  and  attempts  at 
poetry,  which  have  been  thus  commented  upon  by  one  among  the 

number : — 

"  Ah  Shakspeare,  when  we  read  the  votive  scrawls 
With  which  well-meaning  folks  deface  these  walls ; 


o 
o 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  21 

| 

And  while  we  seek  in  vain  some  lucky  hit, 

Amidst  the  lines  whose  nonsense  nonsense  smothers, — 

We  find,  unlike  thy  Falstaff  in  his  wit, 
Thou  art  not  here  the  cause  of  wit  in  others." 


The  most  curious  feature  of  the  room  is  the  myriad  of  pencilled 
and  inked  autographs  which  cover  walls,  windows,  and  ceiling,  and 
which  cross  and  recross  each  other  occasionally,  so  closely  written, 
and  so  continuous,  that  it  gives  the  walls  the  appearance  of  being 
covered  with  fine  spider-web.  Irving,  speaking  of  the  house,  says : 
"  The  walls  of  its  squalid  chambers  are  covered  with  names  and 
inscriptions  in  every  language,  by  pilgrims  of  all  nations,  ranks,  and 
conditions,  from  the  prince  to  the  peasant,  and  present  a  simple  but 
striking  instance  of  the  spontaneous  and  universal  homage  of  man- 
kind to  the  great  Poet  of  Nature."  Books  for  the  entry  of  names 
are  now  kept. 

In  the  adjoining  public-house,  when  Ireland  visited  it  in  1792, 
was  a  square  of  glass  upon  which  was  painted  the  arms  of  the  mer- 
chants of  the  Wool  Staple,  which  he  considered  to  be  conclusive 
evidence  of  the  trade  of  Shakspere's  father,  who  by  some  author 
was  said  to  have  been  a  dealer  in  wool.  Aubrey  assures  us  he  was 
a  butcher.  Mr.  Knight  has  clearly  pointed  out  the  likely  origin  of 
both  stories,  in  the  custom  of  landed  proprietors,  like  John  Shaks- 
pere,  selling  their  own  cattle  and  wool.  The  glass  was  brought 
here  from  the  Guild  Chapel.  It  therefore  has  no  connexion  with 
Shakspere. 

In  a  lower  room  of  the  public-house,  Ireland  also  saw  "  a  curious 
ancient  monument  over  the  chimney,  relieved  in  plaster,  which  from 
the  date,  1606,  that  was  originally  marked  on  it,  was  probably  put 
up  at  the  time,  and  possibly  by  the  Poet  himself.  In  1759  it  was 
repaired  and  painted  in  a  variety  of  colors  by  the  old  Mr.  Thomas 
Harte  before-mentioned."  Upon  the  scroll  over  the  figures  was  in- 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


scribed,    'Samuel  xvii.  A.  D.  1606;'  and  round  the  border,  in  a 
"  continuous  line,  was  this  stanza  in  black  letter  :  — 


comes  toft!)  sfoorB  an&  spear 
a  sltnjj; 
e  antj  stoeare, 
|)fm 


We  copy  Ireland's  engraving  of  this  solitary  fragment  of  the  in- 
ternal decoration  of  Shakspere's  house ;  although  we  much  question 
the  propriety  of  imagining  the  possibility  of  Shakspere  placing  such 
ludicrous  doggrel  there.  The  house  was  at  that  time  in  the  occu- 
pation of  his  sister ;  and  she  most  probably  resided  in  the  other  half 
of  this  then  large  tenement.  So  that  neither  may  have  been  guilty 
of  it  The  bas-relief  was  carried  away  some  years  ago  by  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  inn. 


The  font  in  which  the  Poet  was  christened  is  here  engraved.    It 


Library. 


PLATE    VI. 


EXTERIOR    OF    THE    GRAMMAR-SCHOOL. 


INTERIOR THE    MATHEMATICAL-SCHOOL. 


24 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  25 

is  but  a  fragment,  the  upper  portion  only.  The  same  style  was 
adopted  with  singular  good  taste  for  the  new  font  in  the  church, 
which  may  therefore  be  considered  as  a  restoration  of  it.  Mr. 
Knight  has  thus  given  its  history :  "  The  parochial  accounts  of 
Stratford  shew  that  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century  a 
new  font  was  set  up.  The  beautiful  relic  of  an  older  time,  from 
which  William  Shakspere  had  received  the  baptismal  water,  was, 
after  many  years,  found  in  the  old  charnel-house.  When  that  was 
pulled  down  it  was  kicked  into  the  churchyard,  and  half  a  century 
ago  was  removed  by  the  parish-clerk  to  form  the  trough  of  a  pump 
at  his  cottage.  Of  the  parish-clerk  it  was  bought  by  the  late  Cap- 
tain Saunders ;  and  from  his  possession  came  into  that  of  the  pres- 
ent owner.  Mr.  Heritage,  a  builder  at  Stratford."  It  is  still  in  his 
possession.  The  font  shewn  at  the  Shakspere  Arms  is  reported  to 
have  been  brought  from  the  neighboring  church  of  Bidford. 

From  the  house  where  Shakspere  was  born  to  the  place  where  he 
obtained  his  "  small  Latin  and  less  Greek,"  is  but  a  short  distance. 

THE   GRAMMAR   SCHOOL 

is  situated  in  the  High  Street,  beside  the  Chapel  of  the  Guild,  or 
of  the  Holy  Cross,  a  good  specimen  of  the  ecclesiastical  architecture 
of  the  reign  of  Henry  VII. ;  and  the  interior  of  which  was  origin- 
ally decorated  with  a  series  of  remarkable  paintings ;  the  principal 
being  the  legendary  history  of  the  Holy  Cross.  In  this  chapel,  at 
one  time,  the  school  was  held ;  and  an  order  in  the  corporation 
books,  dated  February,  1594,  directs  "  that  there  shall  be  no  school 
kept  in  the  chapel  from  this  time  following."  The  occupation  of 
the  chapel  as  a  school  may  have  been  but  a  temporary  thing  ;  but 
Shakspere  may  have  imbibed  some  portion  of  his  learning  within 
its  walls.  The  foundation  of  the  Grammar  School  took  place  in 
the  reign  of  Edward  IV.  In  1482,  Thomas  Jolyffe  gave  certain 


g 


26 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


lands  and  tenements  to  the  Guild  of  the  Holy  Cross,  to  maintain  "  a 
priest  fit  and  able  in  knowledge  to  teach  grammar  freely  to  all 
scholars  coming  to  the  school  in  the  said  town  to  him,  taking  noth- 
ing of  the  scholars  for  their  teaching."  On  the  dissolution  of  the 
guild,  Edward  VI.,  in  the  seventh  year  of  his  reign,  ordered  that 
"the  free  grammar  school  for  the  instruction  and  education  of  boys 
and  youth  there,  should  be  thereafter  kept  up  and  maintained  as  here- 
tofore it  used  to  be." 


The  Latin  schoolroom  is  situated  over  the  old  Guildhall,  and  is 
that  portion  of  the  building  nearest  the  chapel.  It  is  a  perfectly 
plain  room,  with  a  low  plaster  ceiling ;  but  from  the  massive  beams 
at  the  sides  of  the  room,  and  those  above  the  modern  piaster,  to 
which  the  struts  from  the  side  beams  form  a  support,  as  well  as  from 
the  external  appearance  of  the  deeply-pitched  roof,  there  can  be 
little  doubt  that  an  open  timber  roof  originally  decorated  this  apart- 


H 
H 


M 

o 
o 


2 

O 

w 
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(4 
P 
O 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


29 


ment  The  Mathematical  schoolroom  beside  it  has  a  flat  roof,  crossed 
by  two  beams  of  the  Tudor  era ;  and  in  the  centre  of  the  roof,  where 
they  meet  each  other,  is  a  circular  ornament  or  boss.  The  school 
has  been  recently  repaired,  and  it  has  entirely  lost  its  look  of  an- 
tiquity. A  few  years  ago  there  were  many  very  old  desks  and  form, 
there ;  and  one  among  them  was  termed  Shakspere's  desk.  It  is 
now  kept  below.  We  engrave  a  representation  of  it.  The  tradi- 


tion which  assigned  it  to  Shakspere  may  be  very  questionable  ;  its 
being  the  oldest  and  in  the  worst  condition  may  have  been  the 
reason  for  such  an  appropriation.  The  boys  of  the  school  very  gen- 
erally carried  away  some  portion  of  it  as  a  memento,  and  the  relic- 
hunters  frequently  behaved  as  boyishly,  so  that  a  great  portion  of  thr 
old  wood  has  been  abstracted. 

The  court-yard  of  the  school  presented  many  features  of  interest ; 
but  the  hand  of  modern  "  improvement"  has  swept  them  away.  On 
a  visit  to  Stratford  eight  years  ago,  the  author  obtained  the  following 
sketch.  The  schools  were  at  that  time  approached  by  an  antique 
external  stair,  roofed  with  tile,  and  up  which  the  boys  had  ascended 
from  the  time  of  Shakspere.  This  characteristic  feature  has  passed 
away  ;  its  only  record  is  the  cut  now  given ;  the  court-yard  has  been 
subdivided  and  walled  ;  and  the  original  character  of  this  portion  of 
the  building  has  departed  for  ever. 


30  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

For  the  mementoes  of  Shakspere's  later  life,  we  must  look  m  the 
neighborhood  of  Stratford.  Tradition  assigns  adventures  and  visits 
to  many  places  in  its  vicinity ;  but  the  most  important  locality  with 
which  his  name  is  connected  is  the  Park  of  Sir  Thomas  Lucy  at 
Charlecote. 

This  \vas  tne  scene  of  his  deer-stealing  adventures,  which  led, 
says  tradition,  to  his  quarrel  with  Sir  Thomas,  to  a  lampoon  by  the 
Poet,  which  occasioned  him  to  leave  Stratford  for  London  in  greater 
haste  than  he  wished,  and  produced  his  connexion  with  thetheatres. 
Of  these  tales  we  must  speak  farther  on.  But  first  let  us  say  a  few 
words  on  this  ancient  mansion. 

Dugdale  has  given  the  history  of  Charlecote  and  its  lords  with 
much  minuteness.  It  is  mentioned  in  Domesday  Book ;  and  its  old 
Saxon  name  Ceorlcote — the  home  of  the  husbandman — carries  us 
back  to  years  before  the  Conquest.  The  present  house  was  built  in 
1558  by  Thomas  Lucy,  who  in  1593  was  knighted  by  Queen  Eliza- 
beth. It  stands  at  a  short  distance  from,  and  at  some  little  eleva- 
tion above,  the  river  Avon.  The  building  forms  three  sides  of  a 
quadrangle,  the  fourth  being  occupied  by  a  handsome  central  gate- 
house, some  distance  in  advance  of  the  main  building.  The 
octangular  turrets  on  each  side,  and  the  oriel  window  over  the  gate, 
are  peculiar  and  pleasing  features.  The  house  retains  its  gables 
and  angular  towers,  but  has  suffered  from  the  introduction  of  the 
large  and  heavy  sash-windows  of  the  time  of  William  III.  or  George 
I.  In  Thomas's  edition  of  Dugdale's  Warivickshire.  published  in 
1730,  there  is  an  interesting  "  East  prospect  of  Charlecote,"  drawn 
by  H.  Beighton  in  1722,  which  gives  a  curious  bird's  eye  view  of 
the  entire  house  and  gardens  in  their  original  state  ;  that  is,  in  the 
state  in  which  Skakspere  would  see  them.  A  reduced  copy  of  this 
view  appears  opposite.  There  is  another  view,-  showing  the  back 
of  the  house  from  the  river,  preserved  in  the  hall,  and  which  appears 


> 

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81 


Library. 


34 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


35 


to  have  been  painted  about  the  reign  of  James  II.  It  shows  the 
building  to  have  been  at  that  time  precisely  in  the  same  condition ; 
and  as  all  modernisation  has  affected  the  interior  principally,  the 
exterior  aspect  is  now  much  the  same  as  it  was  in  the  daysof  the  Poet 


Passing  through  the  old  gate,  we  enter  the  court-yard,  which,  in 
place  of  the  old  fountain  and  circular  tank  of  water,  is  now  laid  out 
in  flower-bed.  The  hall  is  entered  by  a  porch  having  the  family 
arms  and  crest  at  each  angle.  We  give  a  view  of  the  interior  as  it 
is  now.  It  has  undergone  alterations  since  Washington  Irving 
thus  described  it  in  his  Sketch-book :  "  The  ceiling  is  arched  and 
lofty  ;  and  at  one  end  is  a  gallery,  in  which  stands  an  organ  [this 
has  now  been  removde].  The  weapons;  and  trophies  of  the  chase, 
which  formerly  adorned  the  hall  of  a  country  gentleman,  have  made 
way  for  family  portraits.  There  is  a  wide  hospitable  fireplace, 
calculated  for  an  ample  old  fashioned  wood  fire,  formerly  the  rally- 
ing place  of  winter  festivity.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall  is 


36 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


j 


the  huge  Gothic  bow-window  with  stone  shafts,  which  looks  out 
upon  the  court-yard.  Here  are  emblazoned,  in  stained  glass,  the 
armorial  bearings  of  the  Lucy  family  for  many  generations,  some 
being  dated  in  1558  I  was  delighted  to  observe  in  the  quarterings 
the  three  white  luces,  by  which  the  character  of  Sir  Thomas  was 
first  identified  with  that  of  Jus- 
tice Shallow."  The  seal  of  Sir 
Thomas  Lucy,  here  engraved, 
exhibits  the  three  white  luces 
interlaced.  The  autograph  is 

written  in  a  bold  hand.     Our 

cut  is  reduced  to  one  half  the  size  of  the  ori- 
ginal. The  document  from  which  it  is  obtained 
is  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Wheler,  of  Strat- 
ford-on-Avon,  and  is  appended  to  the  presen- 
tation of  the  Rev.  Richard  Hill  to  the  rectory 
of  Hampton  Lucy,  in  the  gift  of  Sir  Thomas  ? 
and  is  dated  October  8th,  1586.     Upon  the 
vanes  of  the  house  at  Charlecote,  the  three 
luces  interlaced  between  cross  crosslets  are 
also    displayed  ;    an  engraving    of    one    of 
these  vanes  may  be  seen  in  Moule's  Heraldry 
of  Fish,  p.  55,  who  says:  "The  pike  of  the  fisherman  is  the  luce 
of  heraldry ;  a  name  derived  from  the  old  French  language  lus, 
or  from  the  Latin  lucius ;  as  a  charge  it  was  very  early  used 
oy  heralds  as  a  pun  upon  the  name  of  Lucy." 

The  deer-stealing  story,  unlike  a  matter  of  fact,  has  grown  to  be 
more  defined  and  clear  the  nearer  it  approaches  our  own  time.  It  first 
commences  by  traditionary  stories  loosely  put  down,  and  exceedingly 
inaccurate  in  detail.  Mention  is  made  of  a  lost  ballad  satirising  Sir 
Thomas.  By  and  by  a  Stanza  is  found  ;  and  ultimately  we  get  the 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  37 

entire  ballad,  about  as  scurrilous  and  worthless  a  composition  as 
ever  forger  fixed  on  a  great  man.  This  ballad  is  evidently  made  up 
from  the  allusions  in  the  first  scene  of  the  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor^ 
which,  as  Malone  observes,  "certainly  afford  ground  for  believing 
that  our  author,  on  some  account  or  other,  had  not  the  most  profound 
respect  for  Sir  Thomas  Lucy.  The  '  dozen  white  luces,'  however, 
which  Shallow  is  made  to  commend  as  l  a  good  coat,'  was  not  Sir 
Thomas  Lucy's  coat  of  arms."  Granting,  however,  that  Shakspere 
had  in  his  youthful  days  mixed  with  "  roysterers,"  which  is  far  from 
unlikely,  the  offence  of  deer-stealing  at  that  time  was  looked  upon 
in  a  very  different  light  from  that  in  which  we  should  now  view  it. 
The  laxity  of  game-laws  then,  and  the  sympathy  with  which  popu- 
lar feeling  regarded  the  act,  re-echoed  only  the  sentiments  rendered 
popular  by  the  constant  singing  of  the  Robin  Hood  ballads  ;  and 
viewed  such  adventures  much  as  we  should  regard  the  boyish 
robbing  of  an  orchard.  The  plays  and  pomes  of  the  period  abound 
with  the  expression  of  similar  sentiments.  In  the  play  of  The 
Merry  Devil  of  Edmonton,  mine  Host  and  Sir  John  the  Priest  both 
join  in  the  fun  of  deer-stealing  ;  the  Host  declaring,  "  I'll  have  a 
buck  till  I  die,  I'll  slay  a  doe  while  I  live."  Reputation  was  not 
lost  by  such  outbreaks  ;  and  Shakspere  might  have  stolen  a  deer 
without  any  serious  consequences.  It  is  commonly  related  at  the 
time  as  often  done.  Malone  has  quoted  many  passages  to  prove 
this  ;  and  in  Reynolds'  Epigrammasticon,  1642,  occurs  the  following 
lines,  which  are  conclusive  : 


"  Harry  and  I;  in  youth  long  since, 
Did  doughty  deeds,  but  some  nonsense  : 
We  read  our  books,  we  sang  our  song, 
We  stole  a  deer,  who  thought  it  wrong  ? 
To  cut  a  purse  deserves  but  hanging, 
To  steel  a  deer  deserves  btct  banging." 


38 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


Shakspere  may  therefore  have  stolen  a  deer;  Sir  Thomas  ma. 
have  treated  the  matter  a  little  more  seriously  than  was  generally 
the  wont  with  those  who  only  judged  of  other's  property ;  but  the 
vindictiveness  and  ill-feeling  of  the  whole  story  is  the  invention  of 
more  modern  times.  Sir  Thomas  appears  to  have  been  an  exem- 
plary country  gentleman.  He  died  Aug.  18,  1600,  and  is  buried  in 
Charlecote  Church,  a  short  distance  from  the  family  seat.  His 
effigy,  and  that  of  his  wife,  are  sculptured  there.  They  are  exe- 
cuted in  a  masterly  manner,  and  may  be  considered  as  careful 


portraits.  That  of  the  knight  has  been  given  by  Ireland,  but  his 
copy  has  no  resemblance  to  the  original.  The  cut  here  engraved 
is  a  more  careful  copy  of  a  finer  head  than  any  Justice  Shallow 
could  show.  That  Sir  Thomas  had  an  equally  fine  heart,  the  epi- 
taph on  the  black  slab  in  the  recess  at  the  back  of  the  tomb  will  shew. 
With  singular  good  taste  his  own  name  is  not  mentioned  ;  but  his 


X! 


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THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  43 

wife's  virtues  are  recorded  in  the  following  touching  and  beautiful 
inscription : 


HERE  ENTOMBED  LYETH  THE  LADY  JOYCE  LUCY,  WIFE  OF  SIR 
THOMAS  LUCY,  OF  CHERLECOTE,  IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  WARWICK, 
KNIGHT,  DAUGHTER  AND  HEIR  OF  THOMAS  ACTON,  OF  SUTTON,  IN 
THE  COUNTY  OF  WORCESTER,  ESQUIER,  WHO  DEPARTED  OUT  OF 
THIS  WRETCHED  WORLD  TO  HER  HEAVENLY  KINGDOME,  THE  TENTH 
DAY  OF  FEBRUARY,  IN  THE  YEAR  OF  OUR  LORD  GOD  1595,  OF  HER 
AGE  LX.  AND  THREE.  ALL  THE  TIME  OF  HER  LIFE  A  TRUE  AND 
FAITHFUL  SERVANT  OF  HER  GOOD  GOD,  NEVER  DETECTED  OF  ANY 
CRIME  OR  VICE  ;  IN  RELIGION  MOST  SOUND  J  IN  LOVE  TO  HER  HUS- 
BAND MOST  FAITHFULL  AND  TRUE  ;  IN  FRIENDSHIP  MOST  CON- 
STANT ;  TO  "WHAT  WAS  IN  TRUST  COMMITTED  TO  HER  MOST  SECRET  ; 
IN  WISDOME  EXCELLING;  IN  GOVERNING  OF  HER  HOUSE,  AND  BRING- 
ING UP  OF  YOUTH  IN  THE  FEARE  OF  GOD  THAT  DID  CONVERSE  WITH 
HER,  MOST  RARE  AND  SINGULAR.  A  GREAT  MAINTAINER  OF  HOSPI- 
TALITY ;  GREATLY  ESTEEMED  OF  HER  BETTERS  ;  MISLIKED  OF  NONE 
UNLESS  OF  THE  ENVIOUS.  WHEN  ALL  IS  SPOKEN  THAT  CAN  BE 
SAID,  A  WOMAN  SO  FURNISHED  AND  GARNISHED  WITH  VIRTUE,  AS 
NOT  TO  BE  BETTERED,  AND  HARDLY  TO  BE  EQUALLED  BY  ANY.  AS 
SHE  LIVED  MOST  VIRTUOUSLY,  SO  SHE  DYED  MOST  GODLY.  SET 
DOWN  BY  HIM  THAT  BEST  DID  KNOW  WHAT  HATH  BEEN  WRITTEN 
TO  BE  TRUE.  THOMAS  LUCY. 


Respected  be  the  memory  of  Sir  Thomas  !  A  boyish  outbreak, 
if  rebuked  harshly  in  a  moment  of  irritability,  was,  we  are  sure, 
forgiven  and  forgotten  by  Shakspere,  whom  we  know  to  have  been 
in  friendly  communication  with  the  family  afterwards.  The  dignity 


44  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

-.. 

of  a  great  man's  biography  should  not  be  broken  up  by  such  tales. 
This  deer-stealing  story  has  even  become  more  firmly  fixed  in  an 
adjoining  locality,  where  we  are  certain  it  could  not  be  true.  Ful- 
brooke  Park  is  made  the  scene  of  the  exploit,  and  Ireland  engraves 
the  keeper's  lodge  there,  in  which  Shakspere  was  confined  when 
caught  in  his  lawlessness.  The  deer-barn  at  the  same  place,  where 
Shakspere  concealed  the  venis©n  he  stole,  is  also  shewn.  Mr.  Knight, 
to  whom  belongs  the  merit  of  investigating  clearly  the  whole  of  this 
deer-stealing  story,  says,  "  A  word  or  two  disposes  of  this  part  of 
this  tradition :  Fulbrooke  Park  did  not  come  into  the  possession  of 
the  Lucy  family  till  the  grandson  of  Sir  Thomas  purchased  it  in  the 
reign  of  James  I. !  " 

Passing  from  all  unpleasant  reminiscences  of  Shakspere's  resi- 
dence at  Stratford,  let  us  take  a  quiet  walk  by  the  field-path  that 
leads  to 


ANNE  HATHA WAY'S  COTTAGE. 

By  this  footway  the  Poet  must  have  often  wandered  in  the  even- 
ing to  his  "  lady-love."  It  is  a  pleasant  walk — a  short  mile  from 
Stratford.  Quiet  and  luxuriant  is  the  landscape  which  meets  the 
eye  all  around :  corn-fields,  and  pasture-land,  and  snug  farms  ;  the 
quiet,  old-fashioned  gables  of  Shottery  before ;  the  wood-embosom- 
ed houses  of  Stratford  behind  ;  where  from  among  the  trees  shoots 
up  the  elegant  spire  of  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  our  country 
churches.  Shottery  abouds  with  old  half-timbered  houses ;  and  one 
now  a  little  road-side  inn,  called  "  The  Shakspere,"  is  a  capital  ex- 
ample, and  stands  beside  the  field-path  at  the  commencement  of  the 
lane  leading  to  Anne's  house.  Proceeding  down  this  lane,  we 
cross  a  brook  ;  a  few  yards  farther,  and  we  reach  the  house.  It  is  a 
long  thatched  tenement  of  timber  and  plaster,  substantially  built 


45 


'<••:  : 


ir* 


Library 


IH 
1697 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  47 

upon  a  foundation  of  squared  slabs  of  lias  shale,  which  is  a  charac- 
teristic of  the*  Warwickshire  cottages,  and  is  seen  in  Shakspere's 
birthplace,  as  already  noted.  On  looking 
up  at  the  central  chimney,  the  spectator 
may  be  startled  at  the  date  which  is  here 
engraved.  It  is  cut  on  stone,  and  let  into 
the  bricks ;  and  simply  records  the  repara- 
tion of  the  house  by  John  Hathaway,  who 
appears  to  have  done  much  for  its  comforts, 

as  we  shall  see.     But  the  house  itself  has  

come  in  for  a  share  of  the  doubts  which 

nave  succeeded  the  credulity  of  past  times,  and  it  has  been  declared 
not  to  be  Anne's  father's.  Mr.  Knight  has  sifted  the  evidence,  and 
triumphantly  disproved  the  doubt.  John  Hathaway  held  property 
at  Shottery  in  1543.  Richard  Hathaway,  the  father  of  Anne,  was 
intimate  with  Shakspere's  father,  for  the  latter  stood  as  his  bondman 
in  an  action  at  law  dated  1576.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Hatha- 
ways  held  the  house  here  long  before ;  the  purchase  was,  however,  only 
effected  in  1606.  That  Anne  should  be  described  as  "  of  Stratford  " 
in  the  marriage-bond  is  not  singular :  Shottery  is  but  a  hamlet  of 
the  parish  of  Stratford. 

This  house,  like  Shakspere's  birthplace,  is  subdivided  into  three 
tenements.  By  referring  to  our  engraving  of  the  exterior  from  the 
garden,  this  will  be  most  clearly  understood.  The  square,  compact, 
and  taller  half  of  the  building  to  the  reader's  left  forms  one  house. 
The  other  two  are  divided  by  the  passage,  which  runs  entirely  through 
the  lower  half,  from  the  door  in  front,  to  which  the  steps  lead,  to  that 
seen  close  to  the  railings  in  our  back  view.  This  passage  serves 
for  both  tenements.  That  to  the  right  on  entering  consists  of  one 
large  room  below,  with  a  chimney  extending  the  whole  width  of  the 
house,  with  an  oven  and  boiler ;  shewing  that  this  was  the  principal 
kitchen  when  the  house  was  all  in  one.  The  door  to  the  left  leads 


48  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

into  the  parlor,  which  is  here  engraved.    It  is  a  large,  low-roofed 
room,  ceiled  with  strong  beams  of  timber,  and  much  resembling  the 


kitchen  of  Shakspere's  birthplace.  A  "bacon  cupboard"  of  simi- 
lar construction,  is  also  on  the  left  side  of  the  fire-place,  upon  the 
transverse  bar  of  which  is  cut  "  I H  •  E  H  •  I B  •  1697,"  the  initials  of 
John  Hathaway,  his  wife  Anne,  and,  it  may  be,  the  maker  of  the 
door,  which  has  been  cut  ornamentally.  The  first  two  initials  and 
the  date  are  the  same  as  upon  the  large  chimney,  which  belongs  to 
this  room,  and  which  has  been  already  noticed.  Upon  an  old  table 
beneath  the  window,  "  M  •  H  "  is  carved  ;  all  indicative  of  the  pro- 
prietors. Mr.  Knight  says:  "The  Shottery  property,  which  was 
called  Hewland,  remained  with  the  descendants  of  the  Hathaways 
till  1838."  The  present  resident  in  this  central  tenement  is  the 
granddaughter  of  John  Hathaway  Taylor ;  a  relative,  whose  Bible, 
dated  1776,  still  lies  on  the  dresser.  He  was  a  man  who  cared  little 
for  relics,  or  the  associations  connected  with  the  house,  which  was 
then  seldom  visited.  The  furniture,  and  a  full  service  of  antique 
pewter,  which  had  garnished  the  dresser  for  many  years,  in  his  time 
disappeared.  When  Ireland  visited  this  cottage  in  1792,  he  speaks 


a 

w 
E 


o 

O 

rt 
p 

w 
w 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


51 


of  the  descendants  of  the  family  as  "  poor  and  numerous ;"  and  at 
this  time  he  saw  and  purchased  an  old 
oak  chair,  which  he  has  engraved  in 
his  Picturesque  Views  on  the  Avon, 
and  which  is  here  copied.  He  says 
it  was  called  "  Shakspere's  courting 
chair."  With  a  similar  desire  to 
please  relic-lovers  to  that  which  has 
been  already  shewn  to  ha\  e  once  ex- 
isted in  Shakspere's  birthplace  con- 
cerning the  chair  there,  this  chair,  al- 
though long  since  gone,  has  a  succes-  I 
sor  dignified  by  the  same  name,  in  an 
old  settle  in  the  passage  through  the  house,  and  which  has  but  one 
old  bit  of  wood,  the  seat,  in  it.  It  is  but  fair  to  add,  that  those 
who  are  sceptical  are  not  met  by  bold  assertions  of  its  genuine 
ness,  although  there  be  no  denial  of  its  possible  claim  to  that 
quality ;  but  all  credulous  and  believing  persons  are  allowed  the 
full  benefit  of  their  faith.  In  addition  to  Shakspere's  chair,  Ireland 
was  shewn  "  a  purse  which  had  been  likewise  his,  and  handed  down 
from  him  to  his  granddaughter  Lady  Barnard,  and  from  her  to  the 
Hathaway  family,"  then  existing.  At  the  time  of  the  Stratford  Ju- 
bilee, George,  the  brother  of  David  Garrick,  purchased  from  the  old 
lady  who  then  lived  here,  an  inkstand  and  a  pair  of  fringed  gloves, 
said  to  have  been  worn  by  Shakspere.  David,  with  his  usual  care- 
fulness, purchased  no  such  doubtful  ware. 

The  bed-room  over  this  parlor  is  ascended  by  a  ladder-like  stair 
and  here  stands  an  old  carved  bedstead,  certainly  as  old  as  the 
Shaksperian  era.     It  is  elaborately  and  tastefully  executed,  and  has 
been  handed  down  as  an  heir-loom  with  the  house.     In  Ireland's 
time,  the  old  woman  of  the  house,  who  was  then  upwards  of  seventy, 


52  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

declared  that  she  had  slept  in  the  bed  from  her  childhood,  and  was 
always  told  it  had  been  there  since  the  house  was  built.  Whether 
there  in  Anne's  time,  or  brought  there  since,  it  is  ancient  enough 
for  her  or  her  family  to  have  slept  in,  and  adds  an  interest  to  the 
quaint  bed-room  in  the  roof.  In  a  chest  beside  it  is  a  pillow-case 
and  sheet,  marked  "  E.  H.,"  and  ornamented  with  open-work  down 
the  centre  ;  they  are  of  home-spun  fabric,  the  work  of  "  the  spin- 
ster "  when  single  country  girls  earned  the  name. 

The  back-view  of  the  house  is  more  picturesque  than  the  iron 
one.  The  ground  rises  from  the  road  to  a  level  with  the  back-door. 
Tall  trees  overshadow  it,  and  a  rustic  stile  beside  them  leads  into  a 
meadow,  where  stands  some  cottages  as  old  as  the  home  of  the 
Hathaways.  There  is  much  to  interest  the  student-lover  of  the  old 
rural  life  of  England  in  Shottery. 

From  the  period  of  Shakspere's  marriage  to  that  of  his  retirement 
from  London,  there  is  nothing  to  connect  him  with  Stratford  and  its 
neighborhood.  We  must  look  elsewhere  But  with  the  natural  love 
of  a  true-hearted  man,  we  find  that  he  made  his  native  town  the 
home  he  visited  whenever  he  had  the  opportunity,  and  chose  for  his 
place  ro  retirement  when  the  busy  metropolitan  duties  he  had  fulfilled 
ensured  him  competence. 

NEW  PLACE, 

the  house  he  had  purchased  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-three,  he  died 
at  that  of  fifty-two.  "  He  was  wont  to  go  to  his  native  country 
once  a  year,"  says  Aubrey ;  and  he  had  so  intimately  connected 
himself  with  Stratford  by  the  purchase  of  property  and  other  things, 
that  his  mind  was  evidently  fixed  on  that  town  with  an  endearing 
affection  through  life,  and  which  led  him  to  look  towards  it  as  his 
resting-place.  New  Place,  we  are  informed  by  Dugdale,  was 


§ 

i! 

o 


53 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  55 

originally  erected  by  Sir  Hugh  Clopton,  temp.  Henry  VII.  It  was, 
he  says,  "  a  fair  house,  built  of  brick  and  timber.7'  It  was  sold  to 
the  Underbill  family,  and  was  purchased  from  them  by  Shakspere  in 
1597,  who  having  repaired  and  modelled  it  to  his  own  mind,  changed 
the  name  to  New  Place,  which  it  retained  until  its  demolition, 
Shakspere,  by  his  will,  gave  it  to'  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Hall,  for  her 
life,  and  then  to  her  daughter  Elizabeth,  afterwards  Lady  Barnard. 
On  her  death  it  was  sold  to  Sir  Edward  Walker,  whose  only 
daughter  marrying  Sir  John  Clopton,  it  again  came  into  the  hands 
of  its  ancient  possessors.  Sir  John  gave  it  to  his  younger  son,  Sir 
Hugh,  who  resided  in  it  during  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  and  died 
there  in  Dec.  1751.  By  him  the  mansion  was  repaired,  and  a 
modern  front  built  to  it;  and  here,  in  1742,  he  entertained  Macklin, 
Garrick,  and  Dr.  Delany,  beneath  the  mulberry-tree  which  Shakspere 
had  planted  in  the  garden.  By  Sir  Hugh's  son-in-law  the  mansion 
was  sold,  in  1753,  to  the  Rev.  F.  Gastrell,  a  man  of  unhappy  temper, 
who  being  annoyed  by  visitors  requesting  to  see  the  mulbery-tree' 
ruthlessly  cut  it  down  in  1756,  to  save  himself  the  trouble  of 
shewing  it.  This  rendered  him  exceedingly  unpopular  in  the  town, 
and  he  resided  there  but  seldom ;  but  the  house  being  rated  as  if  he 
constantly  lived  there,  in  a  fit  of  ill-humor,  he  declared  that  that 
house  should  never  be  assessed  again, —  he  pulled  it  down,  sold  the 
materials,  and  left  the  town  universally  execrated. 

There  are  no  views  of  the  house  as  it  was  in  Shakspere's  time. 
The  view  engraved  so  frequently  is  an  imposition.  Malone  first 
published  it,  "  from  an  ancient  survey,"  in  which  it  is  not  stated  to 
represent  New  Place,  or  any  other  place  in  particular.  He  ordered 
the  discoverer  of  this  survey,  Mr.  Jordan  of  Stratford,  to  add  the 
arms  of  Shakspere  over  the  door,  because  "  they  were  likely  to  have 
been  there  !"  and  to  add  "  neat  wooden  pales  "  in  front.  To  which 
liberal  direction  Jordan  added  the  porch!  and  so  originated  this 


56  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

authentic  picture.  A  view  of  New  Place,  as  altered  by  Sir  Hugh 
Clopton,  and  as  it  appeared  previous  to  its  demolition,  may  be  seen 
in  Mr.  R.  B.  Wheeler's  "  History  of  Stratford-on-Avon."  Not  a 
feature  of  the  ancient  Shaksperian  residence  had  then  been  suffere 
to  remain. 


In  the  garden  of  Mr.  Hunt,  to  whose  family  Mrs.  Gastrell  sold 
the  site  of  New  Place  in  1775,  are  two  fragments  of  the  house. 
One  is  a  stone  lintel ;  the  other,  a  portion  of  sculpture,  in  stone 
also,  which  may  have  been  placed  over  a  door.  It  is  ornamented 
with  a  shield,  but  the  bearings  cannot  now  be  distinguished, 
owing  to  decay.  On  each  side  are  groups  of  flowers,  also  much 
injured  by  time. 

It  is  traditionally  reported  that  the  White  Lion  Inn  was  built  from 
the  materials  of  New  Place.  The  panelling  of  an  entire  room  was 
fitted  up  in  the  parlor  of  the  Falcon  Inn  opposite,  where  it  still 
remains.  It  exhibits  a  series  of  square  sunk  panels,  covering  the 
entire  walls,  the  upper  row  being  elongated,  with  a  plain  cornice 
aud  dentals  above.  From  the  similarity  of  the  panel  and  cornice 
upon  which  the  portrait  of  Shakspere  is  painted,  already  spoken  of 
as  standing  in  his  birth-room,  and  the  tradition  that  it  was  brought 
from  the  White  Lion  Inn,  it  may  have  been  also  a  part  of  the 
decoration  of  New  Place  when  it  was  last  "  repaired  and  beautified." 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  57 

There  is  another  and  apparently  genuine  relic  of  New  Plaee  at 
present  in  the  possession  of  the  Court  family,  who  own  ShakspereTs 
house.  It  is  a  square  of  glass,  measuring  9  inches  by  7,  in  which 
a  circular  piece  is  leaded,  having  the  letters  u  W.  A.  S.,"  tor  Wil- 


liam and  Ann  Shakspere,  tied  in  "  a  true  lovers  knot,"  and  the  date, 
3615,  the  year  before  the  Poet's  death,  beneath.  A  relative  of  the 
late  Mrs.  Court,  whose  ancestor  had  been  employed  to  pull  down 
New  Place,  had  saved  this  square  of  glass,  but  attached  little  value 
to  it.  He  gave  it  to  her,  but  she  had  an  honest  dislike  to  the  many 
pretenders  to  relics,  and  never  shewed  this  glass  unless  it  was 
expressly  requested  by  the  few  who  had  heard  of  it.  She  told  her 
story  simply,  made  no  comments  and  urged  no  belief.  The  letters 
and  figures  are  certainly  characteristic ;  they  are  painted  in  dark 
brown  outline,  tinted  with  yellow.  The  border  is  also  yellow.  The 
lead  is  decayed,  and  the  glass  loose.  It  altogether  appears  to  be  as 
genuine  a  relic  as  any  that  have  been  offered.  It  has  not  been  en- 
graved before.  We  have  now  but  to  visit 

THE  TOMB  OF  SHAKSPERE 
in  the  chancel  of  the  beautiful  church  of  Stratford.     It  is  placed 


58  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

against  a  blank  window,  on  the  left  of  the  spectator  as  he  faces  the 
altar.  How  soon  it  was  erected  after  the  Poet's  death,  we  cannot 
confidently  say ;  but  that  it  was  before  1623  we  can  ascertain  from 
Leonard  Digges  verses  prefixed  to  the  first  edition  of  the  Poet's 
works.  A  half-length  figure  of  him  is  placed  in  a  niche,  above  is 
his  arms  ;  on  each  side  of  which  are  seated  cherubs,  one  holding  an 
inverted  torch,  with  a  skull  beside  him,  the  other  a  spade ;  on  the 
apex  above  is  another  skull.  Beneath  the  cushion  on  which  the 
Poet  is  writing  is  inscribed : 

JVDICIO  PYLIVM,  GENIO  SOCRATEM  ARTE  MARONEM, 
TERRA  TEGIT  POPVLVS  M^ERET,  OLYMPVS  HABET. 

STAY,  PASSENGER;  WHY  GOEST  THOU  BY  so  FAST? 
READ,  IF  THOV  CANST,  WHOM  ENVIOVS  DEATH  HATH  PLAST 
WTHIN  THIS  MONVMENT:  SHAKSPEARE,  WITH  WHOME 
QVICK  NATVRE  DIDE  J   WHOSE  NAME  DOTH  DECK  YS.  TOMBE 
FAR  MORE  THEN  COST;  SITH  ALL  YT    HE   HATH  WRITT 
LEAVES  LIVING  ART  BVT  PAGE  TO   SERVE   HIS   WITT. 

Obiit.  Ano.  Doi.  1616 
Stalls  53.  Die  23.  Ap. 

The  half-length  effigy  of  Shakspere  was  originally  painted  after 
nature.  The  eyes  were  a  light  hazel ;  the  hair  and  beard  auburn. 
The  dress  was  a  scarlet  doublet  slashed  on  the  breast,  over  which 
was  a  loose  black  gown  without  sleeves.  The  upper  part  of  the 
cushion  was  crimson,  the  lower  green ;  the  cord  which  bound  it 
and  the  tassels  were  gilt.  John  Ward,  grandfather  of  the  Kembles, 
caused  the  tomb  to  be  repaired  and  the  original  colors  restored  in 
1748,  from  the  profits  of  the  performance  of  Othello.  In  1793, 
Malone,  in  an  evil  hour,  gained  permission  to  paint  it  white  ;  and 
also  the  effigy  of  Shakspere's  friend,  John  Combe,  who  lies  beside 
the  altar.  Mr.  Knight  has  most  justly  stigmatised  this  act  as  one 


THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 


59 


of  "  unscrupulous  insolence."     Certainly  Malone  was  at  much  pains 
^o  write  himself  down  an  ass. 

We  learn  from  Dugdale's  correspondence,  that  the  sculptor  of 

this  monument  was  Gerard  Johnson.     His  work  has  been  subjected 

to  much  criticism,  particularly  by  such  as  are  anxious  to  have  Shak. 

spere  not  only  a  great  poet,  but  a  handsome  man.     This  bust  does 

notplease  them.     Mr.  Skottowe  declares  that  it  "  is  not  only  at 

variance  with  the  tradition  of  Shakspere's  appearance  having  been 

prepossessing,  but  irreconcilable  with  the  belief  of  its  ever  having 

borne  a  striking  resemblance  to  any  human  being."     A  most  sweep- 

ing conclusion,  against  which  most  modern  authors  and  artists  have 

arrayed  themselves.     It  is  a  curious  fact  that  Martin  Droeshout's 

portrait  prefixed  to  the  folio  of  1623,  and  beneath  which,  Ben  John- 

son has  affixed  verses  attesting  its  accuracy,  and  which  all  his  "  fel- 

lows" who  aided  in  this  edition  as  well  as  others  who  knew  and  loved 

the  nv\n  could  also  confirm,  bears  a  decided   similarity  to  this  bust. 

Marshall  seems  to  have  depended   on  the  same   authority  for  the 

portrait  he  engraved  for  the  edition  of  Shakspere's  poems  in  1640. 

All  agree  in  one  striking  feature  ;  the  noble  forehead  and  quiet  un- 

ostentatious kindly  expression  of  feature  which  must  have  belonged 

to  "  the  gentle  Shakspere."     These  early  artists  appear  to  have  been 

literal  copyists,  and  the  bust  at  Stratford  is  the  best,  and  I  incline  to 

think  the  only  authority  to  be  depended  on.     It  was  probably  cut 

from  a  cast  taken  after  death  ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  it  stands  a 

good  test  phrenologically  as  if  it  had  been  adapted  to  the  Poet  —  a 

singular  instance  of  its  truth.     Another  corroborative  proof  exists  in 

what  has  been  objected  to  as  inaccurate,  the   length  of  the  upper 

lip  ;  but  Sir  Walter  Scott,  whose  intellect  most  nearly  approached 

the  Poet,  had  the  same  feature  and  the   same   commanding  head. 

The  ghastly  white  paint  upon  the  bust,  the  high   position   it  occu- 

pies in  the  church,  and  the  bad  light  that  there  falls  on  it,  hinders 


60  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

the  due  appreciation  of  its  merits.  The  features  are  regular,  nay, 
handsome  and  intelligent ;  but  it  is  evident  that  such  a  head  de- 
pended on  its  living  expression,  and  that  then  it  must  have  been  emi- 
nently gentle  and  prepossessing.  The  lower  part  of  the  face, 
though  inclined  to  be  fleshy,  does  not  injure  the  features,  which 
are  all  delicately  formed,  and  the  side-view  of  the  head  is  very  fine ; 
a  careful  copy  adorns  our  title-page.  An  intent  study  of  this  bust 
enforces  the  belief,  that  all  the  manifold  peculiarities  of  feature  so 
characteristic  of  the  Poet,  and  which  no  chance  could  have  originat- 
ed, and  no  theory  account  for,  must  have  resulted  from  its  being  a 
transcript  of  the  Man ;  one  that  has  received  the  confirmation  of  his 
own  living  relatives  and  friends,  the  best  and  only  portrait  to  be 
now  relied  on. 

The  gravestones  of  the  Shakspere  family  lie  in  a  row  in  front  of 
the  altar-rails,  upon  the  second  step  leading  to  it.  His  wife's  is 
immediately  beneath  his  tomb.  It  is  a  flat  stone,  the  surface  in- 
•*ured  by  time,  having  a  small  brass  plate  let  in  it  with  this  inscrip- 
tion :  here  given  literally,  as  are  all  the  other  inscriptions.  They 
have  been  incorrectly  printed  in  most  instances. 

HERE  LYETH  INTERRED  THE  BODY  OF  ANNE 
WIPE  OF  WILLIAM  SHAKSPEARE.   WHO  DEPTED 
THIS  LIFE  THE  6  DAY  OF  AVG :  1623.   BEING  OF 
THE  AGE  OF  67  YEARES  : 

Vbera  tu  mater,  tu  lac  vitamq,  dedisti, 

Vse  mihi  pro  tanto  munere  Saxa  dabo; 
Quam  mallem  amoveat  lapidem  bonus  AngeP  ore' 

Exeat  Christ!  corpus  imago  tua ; 
Sed  nil  vota  valent,  venias  cito  Christe,  resurget, 

Clausa  licet  tumulo  mater,  et  estra  petet. 


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THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE.  63 

Next  comes  that  placed  over  the  body  of  the  Poet  It  is  right 
here  to  state  that  the  four  lines  upon  it  have  been  generally  printed 
with  an  absurd  mixture  of  great  and  small  letters  :  it  is  here  care- 
fully reduced  from  a  rubbing  taken  on  the  stone.  The  only  pecu- 
liarity it  possesses  over  ordinary  inscriptions  is  the 


GOOD  FREMD  FOR  IBS  VS.  5  A#£  IORBEABE, 
TO  PIGG  /HE   DVST    EN  CXOASED  H:AKE ". 

BLEST:  BE  y  MAN  Y  SPARES  TJES  STONES, 

AMD  CVRSTBEHE  Y  M OVES  MY ,.B ONES - 


abbreviation  for  the  word  t hat,  and  the  grouping  together  of  some  of 
the  letters  after  the  fashion  of  a  monogram.  Other  instanced  of 
similar  usages  are  common  in  inscriptions  of  the  same  age.  There 
is  a  traditionary  story,  bearing  date  1693,  which  says,  "  His  wife 
and  daughters  did  earnestly  desire  to  be  laid  in  the  same  grave  with 
him,"  but  that  "  not  one  for  fear  of  the  curse  above  said  dare  touch 
his  gravestone." 

Next  to  that  of  Shakspere  lies  a  stone  commemorating  the  rest- 
ing-place of  Thomas  Nash,  who  married  the  only  daughter  of  the 
Poet's  daughter  Susanna ;  this  lady  afterwards  married  Sir  John 
Barnard,  and  died  at  Abington,  near  Northampton,  in  1670,  in  whom 
the  direct  line  of  the  Poet's  issue  ceased.  Dr.  John  Hall,  her  father, 
lies  next ;  and  last  comes  Susanna,  his  wife.  The  whole  of  the 
rhyming  part  of  her  epitaph  had  been  obliterated,  and  upon  the 
place  was  cut  an  inscription  to  the  memory  of  one  Richard  Watts. 
This  has  in  its  turn  been  erased,  and  the  original  inscription  restored 
by  lowering  the  surface  of  the  stone  and  recutting  the  letters.  The 
tombs  of  Hall  and  Nash  have  also  been  renovated  by  deepening  the 
letters  and  recutting  the  armorial  bearings,  which  has  been  done 


64  THE    HOME    OF    SHAKSPERE. 

under  the  judicious  and  careful  superintendence  of  R.  B.  Wheler, 
Esq.,  of  Stratford,  and  the  sole  expense  of  the  Rev.  W.  Harness, 
whose  public-spirited  and  honorable  act  deserves  as  much  praise  as 
Malone's  miserable  meddling  does  reprobation. 


Such  are  the  relics,  genuine  and  supposititious,  and  the  localities 
which  connect  themselves  with  the  history  of  "  the  world's  Poet"  at 
Stratford.  It  has  been  the  object  of  the  author  of  this  unpretending 
hand-book  to  collect,  engrave  and  describe  all  that  could  be  found, 
and  which  no  work  of  greater  pretensions  has  yet  done  so  com- 
pletely. The  drawings  have  all  been  placed  upon  the  wood  by  his 
own  hand,  and  engraved  under  his  superintendence.  Several  visits 
to  Stratford  have  enabled  him  to  obtain  many  drawings  and  many 
facts  of  a  local  character  not  elsewhere  set  down.  In  this  world  of 
change  and  fancied  improvement  such  records  may  be  useful,  par- 
ticularly when  they  are  connected  with  one  who  has  most  honored 
his  native  land  by  his  writings,  and  of  whom  Englishmen  have 
most  reason  to  be  proud! 

"  Triumph,  my  Britain !  thou  hast  one  to  show, 
To  whom  all  scenes  of  Europe  homage  owe. 
He  was  not  of  an  age,  but  for  all  time  5 
And  all  the  Muses  still  were  in  their  prime, 
When,  like  Apollo,  he  came  forth  to  warm 
Our  ears,  or  like  a  Mercury  to  charm. 
Nature  herself  was  proud  of  his  designs, 
And  joy'd  to  wear  the  dressing  of  his  lines." 

B.  JoNSON 


PROSPECTUS, 


THE  subscriber  having,  by  a  train  of  fortunate 
circumstances,  become  possessed  of  all  the  ori- 
ginal one  hundred  copper-plates  of  Boydell's 
folio  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare,  and  believing 


"  How  came  they  here  9 — It  has  been  intimated  to  us  that  the  original 
plates  of  BoydelPs  large  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare  are  in  the  posses- 
sion of  a  gentleman  of  this  city,  who  is  having  them  retouched,  with  the 
intention  of  publishing  an  edition  of  them.  We  very  much  doubt  the 
truth  of  the  intimation,  as  the  plates,  weighing  near  two  tons,  cost  the 
Boy  dells  over  a  million  of  dollars.  If  the  plates  were  here,  they  would 
be  a  great  curiosity  and  treasure,  but  it  will  be  a  greater  curiosity  if 
any  Shakspeare  humbug  can  be  played  upon  the  Yankees  at  this  late  day." 
—The  Sun,  Jan.  6th. 

THE  SHAKSPEARE  PLATES. 

"  To  the  Editor  of  the  Sun.  Dear  Sir  : — Observing  a  paragraph  respect- 
ing the  Boy  dell  Shakspeare  Plates,  I  think  it  my  duty  (knowing  the 
fact)  to  inform  you  the  plates  are  the  original,  and  were  sent  to  this 
country  about  four  years  since,  and  were  purchased  by  Dr.  Spooner,  who 
is  having  them  recut  at  an  enormous  expense.  The  first  cost,  Mr.  Boy- 
dell  informs  us  in  the  preface  of  the  work,  was  over  five  millions  of  dollars, 
including  the  original  paintings  they  were  engraved  from.  I  have  no 
interest  in  this  statement  but  the  dissemination  of  truth.  Dr.  Spooner 
bought  the  splendid  copy  of  proof  impressions  at  the  sale  of  the  late 
Ithiel  Town,  to  have  them  recut  from.  Yours,  respectfully, 

TALBOT  WATTS." 

"Many  Artists. — Any  one  who  is  in  possession  of  the  copper-plates,  con-  . 
taming  the  engravings  of  what  was  called  the  Shakspeare  Gallery,  has 
the  identical  plates  belonging  to  Alderman  Boydell.    How  they  got  here 
we  know  not,  but  there  was  only  this  gallery — this  series  of  pictures 
published.'' — Sunday  Times  and  Noatts  Weekly  Messenger,  Jan.  9th. 

"Many  Artists,  consider  that  the  report  relative  to  BoydelPs  Shak- 
speare Gallery  being  at  present  in  this  country,  must  be  meant  to  hum- 
bug the  community.  It  is  no  doubt  true.  All  the  plates  have  been  pur- 
chased, are  here,  and  are  in  process  of  being  retouched  by  the  engraver, 


2  PROSPECTUS. 

that  he  would  render  the  public  a  service  by 
restoring  them  to  their  original  beauty,  applied 
himself  with  diligence  to  effect  this  object.  As 
a  work  of  art,  in  design,  in  execution,  in  unlim- 
ited outlay  of  time  and  money,  in  the  employ- 
merit  of  the  best  talent  in  Great  Britain,  and  in 
the  patronage  and  cordial  support  of  the  king, 


We  saw  one  of  the  retouched  plates,  which  looked  nearly  as  good  as  a 
proof  print.  We  understood  the  owner  to  say  he  had  100  plates  j  and  they 
can  be  no  other  than  Boydell's  mammoth  work." — Sunday  Times  and 
Noatts  Weekly  Messenger •,  Jan.  16th. 

a  From  the  Commercial  Advertiser^  Feb.  1. 

"A  CURIOUS  PIECE  OF  HISTORY. — About  the  year  1785,  Alderman  J.  Boy- 
dell,  of  London,  conceived  the  project  of  establishing  a  l  Shakspeare 
Gallery,'  upon  a  scale  of  grandeur  and  magnificence  which  should  be  in 
accordance  with  the  fame  of  the  poet,  and,  at  the  same  time,  reflect  honor 
upon  the  state  of  the  arts  in  Great  Britain  and  throughout-  the  world 
Mr.  Boydell  was  at  this  time  a  man  of  great  wealth  and  influence,  and  a 
patron  of  the  fine  arts,  being  an  engraver  himself,  and  having  accumu- 
lated his  fortune  mostly  by  dealings  in  works  of  that  character. 

He  advertised  for  designs  from  artists  throughout  Great  Britain,  and 
paid  a  guinea  for  every  one  submitted,  whether  accepted  or  not ;  and  for 
every  one  accepted  by  the  committee,  a  prize  of  one  hundred  guineas. 
The  committee  for  selecting  these  designs  was  composed  of  five  eminent 
artists,  Boydell  himself  being  the  president.  The  first  painters  of  the 
age  were  then  employed  to  paint  these  pictures,  among  whom  were  Sir 
Joshua  Reynolds,  Sir  Benjamin  West,  Fuseli,  Romney,  Northcote, 
Smirke,  Sir  William  Beechy  and  Opie. 

Allan  Cunningham,  in  his  l  Lives  of  Eminent  British  Artists,'  men 
tions  that  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  was  at  first  opposed  to  Boydell's  project 
as  impracticable  on  such  an  immense  scale,  and  Boydell,  to  gain  his  appro 
bation  and  assistance,  privately  sent  him  a  letter  enclosing  a  £  J  000  Ban\ 
of  England  note,  and  requesting  him  to  paint  two  pictures  at  his  OWE 
price.  What  sum  was  eventually  paid  by  Boydell  for  these  pictures  was 
never  known.  A  magnificent  building  was  erected  in  Pall  Mall  to  ex- 
hibit  this  immense  collection,  called  the  Shakspeare  Gallery,  and  was 
for  a  long  time  the  pride  of  London. 

The  first  engravers  of  England  were  employed  to  transfer  these  gems 


PROSPECTUS.  3 

nobility  and  gentry  of  England,  Boydell's  Illus- 
trations of  Shakspeare  stands  pre-eminent  and 
wholly  unrivalled.a 

After  having  finished  a  number  of  the  plates, 
the  most  worn  and  difficult  to  be  restored,  and 
taken  proofs  from  them,  all  the  most  distin- 
guished artists,  engravers,  and  connoisseurs,  in 


to  copper,  and  such  artists  as  Sharp,  Bartolozzi,  Earlom,  Thew,  Simon, 
Middiman,  Watson,  Fy ttler,  Wilson,  and  many  others,  exerted  their  tal  • 
ents  for  years  in  this  great  work.  In  some  instances  the  labor  of  moro 
than  five  years  was  expended  on  a  single  plate,  and  proof  impressions 
were  taken  for  subscribers  at  almost  every  stage  of  the  work.  At  length 
in  1803,  after  nearly  twenty  years,  the  work  was  completed.  The  price 
fixed  (which  was  never  reduced)  was  two  guineas  each,  for  the  first  300 
impressions,  and  the  subscription  list  was  then  filled  up  at  one  guinea 
each,  or  one  hundred  guineas  a  set,  of  one  hundred  plates. 

Besides  these  subscriptions,  large  donations  were  made  by  many  of  the 
noblemen  of  England,  to  encourage  the  undertaking  and  to  enable  Boy- 
dell  to  meet  his  enormous  outlay.  The  cost  of  the  whole  work,  from  the 
commencement,  is  said  to  have  been  more  than  one  million  pounds  ster- 
ling; and  although  the  projector  was  a  wealthy  man  when  he  com- 
menced it,  he  died  soon  after  its  completion,  a  bankrupt  to  the  amount,  it 
is  said,  of  £250,000. 

After  these  plates  were  issued,  Boydell  petitioned  Parliament  to  allow 
him  to  dispose  of  his  gallery  of  paintings  by  a  lottery.  The  petition  was 
granted,  and  the  whole  collection  was  thus  disposed  of.  One  of  the 
finest  of  these  pictures,  King  Lear,  by  Sir  Benjamin  West,  is  now  in  the 
Boston  AthenaBum. 

One  fact  in  relation  to  these  plates  gives  great  value  to  them.  All 
the  principal  historical  characters  are  genuine  portraits  of  the  persona 
represented  in  the  play  ;  every  picture-gallery  and  old  castle  in  England 
was  ransacked  to  furnish  these  portraits. 

After  a  certain  number  of  copies  had  been  taken  from  the  plates  they 
were  laid  aside,  some  of  them  having  been  worn  but  little,  while  others 
required  much  labor  to  restore  them  to  their  original  beauty.  A  few 
copies  of  the  work  have  been  brought  to  this  country  at  different  times, 
and  are  now  to  be  found  in  the  hands  of  amateurs,  and  in  public  libraries. 
Many  of  the  single  prints  have  been  sold  in  this  city  at  from  15  to  25 
dollars  each.  But  it  is  now  almost  impossible  to  procure  them  at  aiw price, 


4  PROSPECTUS. 

the  city  of  New  York,  were  invited  to  examine 
and  scrutinize  the  work,  and  to  compare  criti- 
cally these  proofs  with  the  best  copies  in  Ameri- 
ca, some  of  which  were  engraver's  proofs  before 
the  letter.  The  result  of  this  trial  has  been  most 
satisfactory ;  and  the  subscriber  has,  upon  their 
decision,  and  by  the  advice  of  his  friends  and  the 


and  nothing  but  the  occasional  breaking  up  of  a  public,  or  extensive  pri- 
vate library,  gives  any  opportunity  of  procuring  them. 

By  some  means  which  cannot  now  be  accounted  for,  all  the  plates  have 
found  their  way  to  this  country,  and  the  one  hundred,  weighing  nearly 
4000  pounds,  have  been  purchased  by  Dr.  S.  Spooner,  of  this  city.  This 
gentleman,  who  has  long  been  conversant  with  works  of  art,  has  been 
for  many  months  silently  but  steadily  pushing  on  the  work  of  restoring 
thfl  plates,  and  has  been  peculiarly  fortunate  in  securing  the  services  of 
Mr  George  Parker,  an  engraver  of  no  ordinary  merit.  It  is  a  little  sin- 
gular that  this  gentleman  was  a  pupil  of  the  celebrated  lt  Thew,;?  when 
the  latter  was  engaged  on  these  same  plates  originally,  and  as  Thew 
was  considered  almost  the  inventor  of  the  art  of  stipple  engraving,  it 
will  be  seen  that  there  is  every  reason  to  suppose  Mr.  Parker  well  qual- 
ified to  do  justice  to  the  work.  Dr.  Spooner  spares  no  pains  or  money 
in  the  prosecution  of  the  labor,  and  has  succeeded  in  restoring  a  num- 
ber of  the  plates  to  such  perfection  that  proofs  from  them  cannot  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  original  impressions.  Some  two  years  will  be  con- 
sumed in  accomplishing  the  entire  restoration  and  publication,  and  al- 
though he  will  be  obliged  to  expend  a  large  sum  of  money,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  he  will  be  compensated  by  the  admirers  of  the  arts  in  the 
United  States." 

From  the  Home  Journal,  Feb.  14. 
THE  FINE  ARTS  IN  AMERICA. 

"  Something  more  than  fifty  years  ago,  England  imported  from  France, 
Holland.  Germany,  and  other  portions  of  Europe,  almost  all  the  specimens 
of  good  engraving  to  be  found  in  that  kingdom.  By  the  exertions  of  a 
single  individual,  aided  by  national  taste  and  patronage,  in  less  than 
twenty  years  this  trade  was  entirely  changed,  and  Great  Britain  supplied 
for  a  length  of  time,  the  rest  of  the  civilized  world  with  almost  all  that 
if?  beautiful  and  meritorious,  in  this  branch  of  the  Fine  Arts.  Napoleon, 
with  his  strong  arm,  and  bold  policy,  tore  from  European  kings  and  no- 


PROSPECTUS.  6 

lovers  of  the  Fine  Arts,  determined  to  push  the 
work  to  its  entire  completion  as  rapidly  as  the 
necessity  for  accuracy  and  care  will  admit.b 

To  those  who  may  not  be  acquainted  with  this 
great  work,  the  subscriber  begs  leave  to  say  that 
it  contains  100  plates,  all  of  which  are  perfect 
studies,  having  from  ten  to  twenty  full-length  fig- 


bles,  all  those  monuments  of  genius  and  cultivation,  with,  which  peace 
had  enriched  their  palaces  and  castles:  and,  while  these  trophies  still 
adorned  the  walls  of  the  Louvre,  with  characteristic  sagacity,  he  took 
measures  to  have  these  beautiful  paintings  transferred  to  copper,  by  the 
first  artists  of  the  age.  This  was  the  first  check  which  England  and 
English  artists  experienced  in  the  growing  monopoly  of  their  own  bu- 
rines-  But  during  this  harvest  of  British  engravers,  one  monument  was 
erected  to  the  glory  of  the  Arts  in  England,  by  John  Boydell,  afterwards 
Lord  Mayor  of  London,  which  no  subsequent  efforts  of  genius  or  wealth 
seem  at  all  likely  to  eclipse  or  rival.  Selecting  a  subject  which  belongs 
to.  and  equally  interests  the  whole  civilized  world,  he  lavished  millions 
of  dollars  upon  a  work,  which  no  individual,  or  even  government,  will 
ever  again  undertake  to  duplicate.  Thirty-two  painters,  and  thirty  en- 
gravers, were  employed  with  a  princely  liberality  ;  and  all  that  wealth? 
perseverance,  enthusiasm,  and  a  kingly  patronage,  could  do,  was  done  in 
twenty  years'  labor,  to  produce  that  magnificent  work,  BoydeWs  One 
Hundred  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare. 

But  the  author  of  this  immense  undertaking,  although  he  placed  his 
name  among  the  highest  on  the  list,  as  a  noble  patron  of  the  Arts,  and 
gave  an  energetic  and  powerful  impulse  to  the  cultivation  of  those  Arts, 
which  will  never  be  lost  or  forgotten,  yet,  in  doing  it,  he  beggared  him- 
self, and  died  in  1804,  at  the  age  of  85,  almost  broken-hearted  at  not 
being  able  to  bestow  upon  the  British  public  his  immense  gallery  of 
paintings  as  a  gift  worthy  of  their  acception. 

Immediately  after  Boydell's  death,  this  whole  collection  of  pictures, 
was  scattered  over  the  world — but  one  of  them,  it  is  believed,  ever  find- 
ing its  way  to  America ;  and  that  can  be  seen  in  the  Boston  Athenceum 
But  the  copper-plates,  upon  which  all  these  paintings  have  been  so  accu- 
rately and  so  beautifully  copied,  after  having  been  suffered  to  lie  idle 
for  many  years,  have  at  last  caught  the  spirit  of  emigration,  have  crossed 
the  Atlantic,  been  landed  in  this  city ;  and  having  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  Dr.  Spooner,  who,  knowing  how  to  appreciate  them,  they  will,  under 


6  PROSPECTUS. 

ures  in  the  foreground,  most  of  which  are  genuine 
portraits,  in  every  variety  of  grouping  and  compo- 
sition, and  every  human  passion  faithfully  delin- 
eated, forming  a  series  of  the  most  original  pictures 
ever  executed.  It  is  also  believed  that  nothing 
can  be  done  that  will  have  so  great  a  tendency 
to  cultivate  a  taste  for  the  fine  arts,  in  our  country, 


the  burine  of  Parker  and  other  artists,  in  the  course  of  eighteen  months, 
be  fully  restored  to  all  their  former  beauty.  A  portion  of  them  are 
already  finished ;  and  we  have  compared  proofs  from  those  completed 
with  a  fine  copy  of  the  work  struck  by  Boydell,  and  which  was  the  pro- 
perty of  the  late  Ithiel  Town,  of  New  Haven ;  and  the  most  skilful  con- 
noisseur in  such  matters  cannot  detect  the  least  difference  between  the 
two. 

It  certainly  must  be  considered  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  the 
American  public  are  now  to  reap  the  advantage  of  the  great  original  out- 
lay on  this  work ;  and  although  some  $30,000  will  necessarily  be  ex- 
pended upon  it  by  its  present  owner,  yet  the  copies  will  be  offered  to 
subscribers  at  so  low  a  price  as  will  enable  every  gentleman  who  posses- 
ses a  library,  to  add  a  set  of  these  fine  illustrations  to  it,  and  which  will 
do  much  towards  cultivating  a  taste  for  the  Fine  Arts  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic. 

Thus,  whilst  the  van  of  our  nation  is  marching  boldly  across  the  con- 
tinent, carrying  the  blessings  of  civilization,  and  a  free  government,  to 
the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  the  great  masses  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race — who 
swarm  our  eastern  cities,  are  scattered  along  the  vallies  of  our  noble 
rivers,  and  the  borders  of  our  great  lakes — will  be  steadily  and  constant- 
ly making  progress  in  all  the  Arts  and  Sciences,  which  have  heretofore 
enriched  and  refined  the  inhabitants  of  Europe  ;  and  a  few  centuries 
heuce  will  find  America  great  in  her  population,  great  in  her  produc- 
tions and  resources,  and  great  in  all  the  refinements  of  society  and  taste, 
without  the  vices  and  miseries,  which  degrade  and  stultify  the  nations  oi 
the  old  world.'7 

From  the  Courier  and  Enquirer^  March  2d. 

"  THE  COST  OF  THE  SHAKSPEARE  GALLERY. — It  has  been  a  maxim  with 
the  prudent,  calculating  portion  of  mankind,  "  that  a  thing  is  worth 
what  it  will  sell  for."  Grant  it.  What,  then,  did  the  works  of  William 
Shakspeare  sell  for  in  1596,  when  they  came  fresh  from  the  mind  and 


PROSPECTUS. 


as  a  general  circulation  of  these  splendid  prints, 
illustrating  as  they  do  the  genius  of  the  great 
poet,  and  emanating  from  the  most  distinguished 
British  artists,  as  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  Sir  Ben- 
jamin West,  Sir  William  Beechy,  Fuseli,  Rom- 
ney,  Northcote,  Westall,  Smirke,  Opie,  as  paint 
ers ;  and  Sharpe,  Bartolozzi,  Earlom,  Thew,  Si- 


hand  of  that  wonderfully  gifted  man? — Ten  pounds  ten  shillings,  or  less 
than  $60  each,  is  about  the  average  of  what  he  realized  for  his  plays  ! 
And  was  this  amount  equal  to  their  real  and  intrinsic  value  ?  Yet  it 
was  all  they  sold  for.  x  But  there  is  another  way,  in  which  this  time-serv- 
ing standard  may  be  applied,  which  will  startle  even  the  rankest  mat- 
ter-of-fact calculator  that  ever  "  pshawed"  at  the  poetry  of  Milton,  or 
shook  his  wise  head  at  the  beautiful  ravings  of  Ossian.  What  amount 
of  good  hard  dollars  has  ever  been  received  for  Shakspeare' s  works 
throughout  the  civilized  world,  from  the  year  1591  to  the  present  mo- 
ment ?  Not  less,  we  presume,  than  ten  millions  of  dollars  !  Of  course, 
we  hold  it  to  be  right  that  an  individual  is  entitled  to  credit,  for  the 
creations  of  his  own  brain  in  all  their  various  illustrated  forms,  and  if  so, 
Shakspeare  must  have  the  honor  and  credit  of  all  those  beautiful  Illus- 
trations,  for  the  painting,  engraving,  and  printing  of  which  Alderman 
Boydell,  of  London,  paid  over  two  millions  of  dollars. 

Chalmers,  in  bis  Biog.  Dictionary,  says :  "The  services  of  Boydell 
were  universally  appreciated.  He  was  eulogized  even  from  the  pulpit 
for  his  zeal  in  making  the  fine  arts  subservient  to  the  cause  of  religion. 
Such  was  the  enormous  cost  of  his  favorite  project,  the  Shakspeare  Gal' 
lery,  which  he  had  intended  to  have  presented  to  the  city  of  London,  as 
a  lasting  monument  of  his  love  of  the  fine  arts, — that  he  became  in- 
extricably involved  in  difficulties,  and  petitioned  and  obtained  from 
Parliament  an  act  to  enable  him  to  dispose  of  his  Gallery  by  Lottery." 
He  lived  till  the  last  ticket  was  disposed  of,  and  died  on  the  12th  day  of 
Dec.,  1804,  at  the  advanced  age  of  85  years,  his  death  being  hastened,  as 
is  asserted  by  his  son,  Mr.  William  Boydell,  by  the  chagrin  he  expe- 
rienced at  being  compelled  to  dispose  of  the  Shakespeare  Gallery,  con- 
trary to  his  cherished  designs.  This  gentleman  further  declares  that  the 
entire  cost  of  the  Shakspeare  Gallery — the  buildings,  designs,  paintings, 
copper  plates,  &c. — was  rising  £1,000,000  sterling. 

The  copper-plates  here  spoken  of,  have  been  purchased  and  senjt  to 
the  United  States,  and  are  all  to  be  restored  to  their  former  beauty. 


8  PROSPECTUS. 

mon,  Middiman,  Watson,  Fyttler,  Wilson,  and 
many  others,  as  engravers.  We  have  few  pub- 
lic galleries  of  paintings,  and  must  therefore 
mostly  form  our  taste  for  this  branch  of  the  fine 
arts,  from  engravings  ;  and  these  plates  are  fit  to 
grace  the  drawing  room  or  portfolio  of  any  gen- 
tleman. Nothing,  it  is  conceded,  has  a  greater 


without  in  the  least  changing  their  character  of  originality,  or  altering 
a  single  line.  A  portion  of  them  are  already  completed,  and  experienced 
critics  in  such  matters  tell  us,  that  the  proof  impressions  from  the 
restored  plates,  are  fully  equal  to  the  original,  taken  by  Boydell  him- 
self, before  his  death. 

The  effect  of  the  publication  of  this  magnificent  work  in  America, 
must  be  to  increase  the  love  of  the  fine  arts,  and  greatly  to  improve  and 
extend  a  correct  and  cultivated  taste  throughout  the  United  States. 
With  this  view,  every  gentleman  who  owns  a  library  can  possess  himself 
of  a  copy  of  these  beautiful  illustrations,  which,  in  themselves,  are  almost 
a  necessary  accompaniment  to  the  works  of  Shakspeare,  and  with  them 
forms  the  best  and  most  perfect  library  of  human  nature,  and  tb^e  human 
heart,  with  the  exception  of  the  Bible,  that  ever  has  or  ever  will  be 
written.'7 

From  the  Morning  Star,  March  18th. 

u  ALDERMAN  BOYDELL'S  GALLERY. — The  admirers  of  Shakspeare  will 
remember,  that  the  late  Alderman  Boydell,  of  London,  published  what 
was  called  the  Shakspeare  Gallery,  at  an  expense  of  a  million  of  dollars. 
The  Paintings  and  Engravings  were  exquisitely  finished.  Many  of  the 
characters  in  the  historical  plays  were  from  original  portraits.  Our 
readers  will  be  pleased  to  learn  that  the  whole  gallery  consisting  of  100 
Copper  Plates,  is  in  possession  of  Doctor  Spooner  of  this  city,  who  last 
evening  exhibited  them  to  a  number  of  artists  and  literary  men.  The 
Doctor  will,  at  a  great  expense,  have  all  the  plates  retouched.'7 

From  the  Commercial  Advertiser,  March  18th. 

"  THE  BOYDELL  PICTURES. — There  was  a  meeting,  last  evening,  at  the 
house  of  Dr.  Spooner,  in  Liberty-street,  for  the  purpose  of  critically  ex- 
amining the  copper-plates  of  Boydell's  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare,  and 
comparing  proofs  taken  from  the  restored  plates,  with  Town's  proof  copy, 
struck  by  Boydell  himself.  We  learn  that  more  than  a  hundred  invita- 
tions were  issued  to  artists,  engravers,  connoisseurs,  and  literary  men. 


PKOSPECTUS.  9 

tendency  to  refine  the  mind,  than  the  culls  v;  = 
of  the  fine  arts,  and  it  certainly  adds  greatly  to 
our  pleasure.  If  the  subscriber  can  be  instru- 
mental in  assisting  to  cultivate  the  growing  taste 
for  the  fine  arts,  he  will  not  consider  his  under- 
taking fruitless,  even  though  he  should  fail  in 
reaping  the  pecuniary  recompense,  which  he 


The  meeting  was  well  attended,  especially  by  artists  and  engravers,  who 
have  taken  great  interest  in  the  work.  But  one  opinion  was  expressed, 
that  the  restoration  of  the  work  thus  far  has  been  completely  successful, 
and  that  the  proofs  from  the  restored  plates  are  fully  equal  to  the  origi- 
nal first  impressions. 

Dr.  Spooner  had  all  the  copper-plates  arranged  for  the  inspection  of 
the  curious.  The  examination  of  several  plates  now  in  the  process  of 
restoration  is  very  interesting.  Every  line  in  the  plates  is  re-cut  with  the 
graver.  This  is  certainly  a  work  of  great  magnitude,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  enterprising  owner  will  be  seconded  in  his  efforts  by  a 
liberal  patronage  of  this  magnificent  work. 

Dr.  Spooner  keeps  open  house  on  Saturday  and  Monday,  and  invites 
all  who  feel  interested  to  call  and  examine  the  engravings."' 

From  the  Courier  and  Enquirer ',  March  2Qth. 

"  INTERESTING  WORKS  OF  ART. — We  have  already  stated  that  the  original 
plates  of  BoydelFs  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare  have  been  procured  by 
Dr.  Spooner,  of  this  city,  and  brought  hither.  Efforts  have  been  in 
progress  for  some  time  past  for  their  restoration,  and  they  are  now,  we 
are  happy  to  say,  completed,  and  prove  to  be  completely  successful. 
Proofs  have  been  taken  from  them,  and  carefully  compared  by  some  of 
our  best  artists  with  the  original  engravings  struck  by  Boydell  him- 
self from  the  same  plates,  and  we  believe  we  are  justified  in  saying  that 
they  were  unanimously  pronounced  fully  equal  to  the  London  work,  as 
issued  in  1806. 

These  engravings  have  long  enjoyed  a  reputation  as  being  the  finest  by 
far  ever  made  in  illustration  of  the  world's  greatest  poet ;  and  as  they 
have  become  very  rare,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  small  interest  that  the  plates 
should  have  been  restored,  and  the  faculty  thus  acquired  of  multiplying 
these  splendid  pictures. 

Dr.  Spooner  has  been  strongly  urged  to  continue  his  efforts  in  this 
matter,  and  to  push  the  work  to  a  speedy  completion.  We  cannot  doubt 


10  PROSPECTUS. 

trusts  a  liberal  public  will  feel  willing  to  bestow 
upon  a  project  of  this  nature,  involving  as  it  does 
a  very  heavy  outlay  of  capital  in  the  commence- 
ment, and  much  risk  of  loss  in  its  prosecution. 

The  subscriber  pledges  himself  to  spare  no 
efforts  or  expense  in  perfecting  the  work,  and 
making  it  in  every  way  worthy  of  its  magnitude, 


that  it  will  prove  eminently  successful,  and  that  he  will  find  himself 
abundantly  repaid  for  the  heavy  outlay  of  money,  and  the  still  heavier 
expenditure  of  labor,  which  he  has  incurred.  The  enterprise  is  one 
which  must  enlist  the  sympathies  of  every  cultivated  person :  and  it  can- 
not fail  to  meet  a  hearty  welcome  from  the  entire  literary  community.'' 

From  the  Express^  March  21st. 

;c  Boydell's  celebrated  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare  have  been  purchased 
by  Dr.  Spooner,  of  this  city,  and  are  now  here.  He  has  succeeded,  won- 
derful to  relate,  in  restoring  these  valuable  plates,  so  as  to  aiford  proof 
impressions,  almost,  if  not  quite,  equal,  in  freshness,  distinctness  and 
effect,  to  the  originals.  We  are  aware  that  this  will  seem,  to  those 
9f  our  readers  who  have  seen  Moon's  impressions,  a  hard  thing  to  be- 
iieve,  but  it  is  the  opinion  of  some  of  our  best  artists.  Such  an  enter- 
prise as  this  should  be  well  sustained  by  all  lovers  of  high  art,  and  we 
learn  that  an  opportunity  will  be  given  shortly,  it  being  the  object  and 
intention  of  Dr.  Spooner  to  publish  the  whole  series  by  subscription  ere 
long.'7 

From  the  Home  Journal,  March  25th. 

ct  THE  FINE  ARTS. — We  have  never  been  more  strongly  impressed  with 
the  truth  of  the  old  proverb  in  relation  to  perseverance,  than  at  the  "re- 
cherche" entertainment,  given  by  Dr.  Spooner,  to  some  eighty  or  a  hun- 
dred artists,  engravers,  and  literary  gentlemen,  on  Thursday  evening 
last.  It  is  true  that  the  "  good  things  of  this  life  "  were  not  wanting  : 
and  if  any  went  for  the  mere  purpose  of  tasting  the  "  Involves?  or  of  im- 
bibing a  glass  of  good  Madeira,  or  sparkling  Champagne,  they  were  ;jwt 
disappointed.  But  we  believe  that,  like  ourselves,  the  pleasure  of  the 
entertainment  to  all,  arose  from  the  rare  opportunity  of  closely  inspect- 
ing that  wonder  of  talent,  perseverance,  and  triumph  of  the  engraver's 
art,  exhibited  in  the  "  One  Hundred  Shakspeare  Plates^'  which  are  so 
justly  becoming  famous  in  this  city.  It  is  pleasant  to  look  at  a  beautiful 
engraving :  but  how  few  persons,  in  doing  so?  understand  or  appreciate 


PROSPECTUS,  II 

and  of  the  subjects  illustrated.  He  proposes  to 
publish  the  work  in  monthly  parts  of  two  or 
more  plates  each,  at  the  unprecedented  low  price 
of  one  dollar  per  plate,  to  subscribers.  BoydelPs 
subscription  price  was  two  guineas  ($10)  per 
plate,  for  the  first  300  proofs,  and  one  guinea  per 
plate,  for  the  prints ;  besides,  many  noblemen  and 


the  patient  toil  and  skilful  protracted  labor  bestowed  upon  the  plate,  by 
the  artist..  It  is  not  mere  manual  labor ;  but  skill,  caution,  and  care 
must  all  be  constantly  exercised  to  their  fullest  extent ;  the  slightest 
mistake  being  almost  fatal  to  the  perfection  of  the  work.  The  Boydell 
Shakspeare  Plates  employed  over  thirty  engravers,  for  many  years? 
in  their  execution ;  and  the  cost  of  the  work  can  be  best  under- 
stood by  the  knowledge  of  the  fact,  that  one  of  the  plates  has  had 
over  six  years  of  labor  bestowed  upon  it.  The  style  of  engraving  is  a 
compound  of  the  stipple  and  line,  and,  as  some  of  the  designs  and  finish 
are  superior  to  others — the  latter  having  been  most  printed  from,  are,  of 
course,  most  worn ;  and  it  was  of  these  plates,  which  have  been  first 
commenced  upon  by  the  doctor,  that  nearly  all  the  engravers  in  this 
country  pronounced  it  impossible  to  effect  a  perfect  restoration,  without 
changing  the  character  of  the  work,  or,  by  preserving  it,  involve  an  expen- 
diture of  something  like  a  hundred  thousand  dollars.  But  Dr.  Spooner, 
with  a  perseverance  worthy  of  great  praise,  has  surmounted  all  difficul- 
ties, and  overcome  all  doubts,  and  the  examination  of  the  restored  plates3 
on  Thursday  evening,  by  artists,  engravers,  and  those  best  capable  of  judg- 
ing of  the  work,  has  resulted  in  the  full  conviction,  freely  expressed,  that 
the  proofs  from  the  restored  plates  are  fully  equal  to  the  original  and  first 
impressions,  when  they  came  fresh  from  the  hands  of  Alderman  Boydell. 
In  effecting  this  restoration,  every  line,  however  minute,  has  to 
be  re-cut  or  deepened,  and  then  "  bit  up"  with  acids,  until  the  work  is 
wrought  up  as  high  as  is  desired,  and  it  is  then  "proved."  This 
process  is  repeated  with  great  care,  in  some  instances,  five  or  six 
times,  or  until  the  plate  is  brought  up  to  its  original  state.  It  is  cer- 
tainly very  fortunate  that  the  services  of  Mr.  Parker,  who  was  a  pupil 
of  "  Thew'Sj"  has  been  secured  for  this  work ;  for,  aside  from  his 
knowledge  of  the  art,  and  his  skill  in  this  particular  branch  of  it,  his 
early  connection  with  the  engravers  of  these  plates,  imparts  a  kind  of 
national  pride  and  enthusiasm  to  his  labors,  which  ensures,  and  has  so 
far  effected,  complete  success  in  the  undertaking. 


12  PROSPECTUS. 

others  made  handsome  donations,  in  addition  to 
their  subscriptions,  to  encourage  the  work ;  and 
yet  he  failed  for  the  enormous  sum  of  tv\v>  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  pounds  sterling.  During 
the  lifetime  of  the  Boydells  it  was  never  sold 
for  less  than  one  hundred  guineas  per  set.  Some 
of  the  proofs  in  former  years  have  brought  at  pub- 


That  the  publication  of  this  great  work  in  the  United  States,  under 
such  favorable  auspices,  will  be  of  immense  benefit  to  the  progress  of  the 
Arts,  cannot  be  doubted  ;  and  we  wish  the  Doctor  all  the-  success  which 
his  enterprise  deserves  ;  and  as  it  is  now  acknowledged  by  all.  that  the 
engravings  will  be  equal  to  the  first  proofs,  we  cannot  consider  the  ex- 
pense attending  it  too  great  an  outlay  for  so  important  an  undertaking ; 
and  lovers  of  the  fine  arts,  amateurs,  admirers  of  Shakspeare,  owners  of 
private,  and  managers  of  public  libraries,  and  gentlemen  of  fortune, 
must  all  feel  a  deep  interest  in  encouraging  and  patronizing  this  mag- 
nificent work."7 

From  the  Sunday  Times  and  Noatts  Weekly  Messenger,  March  26. 
"  THE  BOYDELL  GALLERY. — Dr.  Spooner's  collection  of  the  Shakspeare 
Gallery  has  excited  considerable  attention  among  amateurs  and  profes- 
sional men.  He  has  all  the  original  plates  of  the  entire  Gallery,  and  has 
succeeded  in  restoring  them,  so  as  to  obtain  valuable  proof  impressions 
This  enterprise  should  be  sustained  by  the  patrons  of  the  fine  arts 
throughout  the  Union.  The  collection  is  a  splendid  one.7' 

From  the  New  York  Tribune,  March  25th,  1848. 

c-  BOYDELL'S  SHAKSPEARE  GALLERY. — We  looked  in  at  Dr.  Spooner's, 
106  Liberty-street,  yesterday  to  observe  the  success  of  an  attempt  now 
in  progress,  in  our  city,  to  renovate  the  plates  of  the  famous  Boydell's 
Shakspeare.  These  plates,  one  hundred  in  number,  and  of  the  largest 
size,  were  got  up  at  an  enormous  cost ;" designers,  painters,  and  engravers, 
Laving  been  engaged  at  the  most  prodigal  rates,  and  the  whole  artistic 
talent  of  Great  Britain  laid  under  contribution  to  produce  a  gallery 
worthy  of  Shakspeare.  The  whole  was  issued  at  some  $500  for  the  se- 
ries, and  the  plates  were  in  due  time  worn  to  dimness  and  comparative 
worth! essness  by  the  demand  for  impressions.  Having  been  purchased 
by  an  American,  a  daring  and  costly  eifort  has  been  made  to  restore 
them  to  their  pristine  sharpness  of  outline  and  vigor  of  expres- 


PROSPECTUS.  13 

lie  sales,  fifteen  guineas  each  in  London,  and 
twenty-five  dollars  in  New  York. 

The  work  will  be  printed  on  thick  linen  pa- 
per, 24  by  30  inches,  weighing  140  Ibs.  to  the 
ream.  Each  print  will  be  accompanied  with  a 
stereotype  letter-press  description  of  the  same, 
with  quotations  from  the  text  which  it  illustrates, 


sion,  and,  in  the  judgment  of  our  artists  and  connoisseurs,  with  com- 
plete success.  Eight  of  the  plates  have  been  renovated,  and  their  im- 
pressions are  fully  equal  to  the  earliest  proofs.  As  what  has  been  done 
may  again  be,  this  triumph  is  of  the  first  importance  to  the  world  of  Art 
An  American  edition  of  the  Shakspeare  Gallery  will  in  due  time  be 
issued." 

From  the  Evening  Post^  March  28th. 

cc  DR.  SPOONER'S  RESTORATION  OF  BOYDELL'S  SHAKSPEARE  GALLERY. — 
Dr.  Spooner,  of  this  city,  is  engaged  in  a  very  successful  attempt  to  re- 
store the  worn-out  plates  of  Boydell's  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare. — 
There  are  one  hundred  of  these  plates,  of  a  very  large  size,  forming  a  most 
sumptuous  work.  The  designs  were  furnished  by  the  best  artists  of  Eng- 
land, at  the  time  when  West  was  in  his  prime.  They  comprise  many  by 
West  himself,  some  by  Northcote.  some  of  the  remarkable  conceptions  of 
Fuseli,  and  various  other  eminent  artists — the  price  was  a  hundred 
guineas.  The  old  plates  have  been  purchased  by  Dr.  Spooner,  who  has 
already  restored  five  or  six  of  them,  so  perfectly  that  the  impressions 
appear  like  proofs,  and  compare  very  accurately  with  the  early  proofs. 

We*  shall  be  glad  to  see  an  American  edition  of  the  Shakspeare  Gal- 
lery, rivalling  in  beauty  the  original  London  edition." 

CERTIFICATES. 

b  "  We,  the  undersigned,  having  examined  some  of  the  ORIGINAL  copper- 
plates of  (  BOYDELL'S  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  SHAKSPEARE,'  and  compared 
the  proofs  taken  from  them  by  Boydell  himself,  with  those  taken  by  DR. 
S.  SPOONER,  within  the  last  few  weeks,  from  a  number  of  the  plates  resto- 
red by  him.  give  it  as  our  deliberate  opinion  and  judgment,  that  his  efforts 
to  restore  this  magnificent  work,  have,  so  fur,  proved  entirely  successful, 
and  we  heartily  recommend  it  to  the  American  public  as  being  in  every 
respect  worthy  of  their  liberal  patronage,  and  as  eminently  calculated 


14 


PROSPECTUS. 


printed  on  the  best  hot-pressed  linen  paper,  of 
the  same  size  as  the  print,  with  tissue  paper  be- 
tween, which  will  add  greatly  to  the  beauty  and 
interest  of  the  work.  In  Boy  dell's  editions,  there 
is  no  description  of  the  plates,  nor  tissue  paper ; 
and  only  a  list  of  the  plates  at  the  end  of  the  vol- 
umes. The  work,  when  completed,  will  form 


not  only  to  gratify  those  who  may  become  its  possessors,  but  also,  to  en- 
courage and  promote  the  advancement  of  the  Fine  Arts  in  our  country 
Nero  York,  March,  1848. 


J.  WATSON  WEBB, 

JNO.  INMAN, 

M  M.  NOAH, 

GEO.  P.  MORRIS, 

N.  P.  WILLIS, 

HORACE  GREELEY, 

N.  CALYO, 

HENRY  H.  LEEDS  &  Co., 

STEPHEN  H.  TYNG  (D.D.), 

AARON  VANDERPOOL, 

EGBERT  BENSON, 

WM.  B.  COZZENS, 

JAMES  W.  GERARD, 

VALENTINE  MOTT  (M.D.)? 

HORACE  GREEN  (M.D.), 

GEORGE  POTTS  (D.D.), 

SMITH  W.  ANDERSON, 

C.  TEMPLE  EMMET, 

DAVID  GRAHAM, 

J.  I.  CODDINGTON, 

JOHN  W.  FRANCIS  (M.D.) 

JAMES  R.  WHITING, 

JOHN  McKsoN, 

CAMPBELL  P.  WHITE, 

JOHN  VAN  BUREN, 

JONA.  M.  WAINWRIGHT  (D.D.), 

WM.  BERRIAN  (D.D.), 

JOHN   DOGGETT,  JR.J 

JAMES  W.  SMCTH,  JR., 


WASHINGTON  IRVING. 
JOHN  EADIE,  JR., 
ANDREW  H.  MICKLE, 
JOHN  WILEY, 
GEO.  P.  PUTNAM, 
DAN'L  APPLETQN  &  Co., 
W.  L.  OJRMSBY, 
TALBOT  WATTS, 
E.  M.  TOWNSEND, 
HUGH  MAXWELL, 
FRANCIS  BARRETTO, 
THEODORE  SEDGWICK, 
DUDLEY  SELDEN,      K 
AARON  CLARK, 
WM.  T.  PORTER, 
JOHN  T.  TUTTLE  (M.D.), 
AARON  LEVY, 
DAVID  B.  OGDEN, 
EDWARD  MILLS, 
DANFORTH  &  HUFTY, 
THEO.  FRELINGIIUYSEN, 
PROSPER  M.  WETMORE, 
ROBT.  P.  MORRIS, 
HAR.PER  &  BROTHERS, 
G.  &  W.  ENDICOTT, 
HENRY  BREVOORT, 
GARDNIER  G.  HOWLAND, 
WM.  V.BRADY, 
ELY  MOORE, 


PROSPECTUS.  15 

two  volumes  of  surpassing  beauty,  far  superior 
to  any  of  the  old  copies  now  in  the  country. 

TEEMS. 

To  subscribers,  $1,00  per  plate,  including  the 
two  vignettes  which  embellish  the  title-page 
of  each  volume. 


RAWDON,  WRIGHT  &  HATCH,  ELEAZER  PARMLY, 

BENJ.  F.  BUTLER,  H.  W.  HEWET, 

S.  DE  WITT  BLOODGOOD,  D.  D.  HOWARD, 

GERARD  C.  LESTER,  JOSEPH  M.  SMITH."  (M.D.) 

"  I  have  looked  over  the  proofs  of  several  plates  restored  by  Dr. 
Spooner,  belonging  to  the  engravings  of  BoydelFs  Illustrations  of 
Shakspeare,  and  have  been  struck  with  the  perfect  precision  and  suc- 
cess with  which  the  process  has  been  executed.  So  far  as  he  has  pro- 
ceeded, that  splendid  work  has  been  brought  back  to  the  distinctness 
and  beauty  belonging  to  the  first  impressions  taken  from  the  plates  in 
England.  The  undertaking  is  one  which  deserves  success ;  and  I  hope 
that  Dr  Spooner  will  meet  with  a  liberal  encouragement  from  the 
American  public. 

WILLIAM  C.  BRYANT." 

New  York,  March  25,  1848. 

"  I  have  had  an  opportunity  to  examine  the  proofs  from  several  restored 
plates,  belonging  to  BoydelPs  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare,  now  in  pos- 
session of  Dr.  Spooner.  They  are  a  very  great  improvement  on  the  worn 
impressions,  and  give  the  spirit  of  the  very  early  impressions.  Enter- 
taining this  opinion,  I  heartily  wish  success  to  the  laudable  undertaking. 

ALEXANDER  H.  STEVENS." 

(President  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons.) 
New  York.  March,  SO,  1848. 

"  I  fully  concur  in  the  opinion  expressed  above  by  Dr.  Alexander  H. 
Stevens,  in  regard  to  the  proofs  from  the  restored  plates  of  Boydell's 
Shakspeare,  and,  with  that  gentleman,  heartily  wish  success  to  the  ardu- 
ous task  of  restoring  the  whole  series  undertaken  by  Dr.  Spooner. 

JOHN  J.  AUDUBON." 

New  York,  April  3d,  1848. 


16  PROSPECTUS. 

Terms  cash  on  the  delivery  of  every  number. 
All  letters  and  orders  must  be  post-paid.  These 
terms  are  not  above  one  fifteenth  part  of  the 
present  English  publishing  price  for  prints  of  the 
same  size  and  class,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  ex- 
tracts given  below.c 

The  plates  are  numbered  in  small  figures,  from 


"Mr.  Boydell  rose  to  great  renown  and  distinction.  He  was  elected 
Allerman  in  1782,  Sheriff  in  1785,  and  Lord  Mayor  of  London  in  1790. 
He  also  held  the  office  of  the  Master  of  the  Stationers  Company.  As  the 
most  generous  promoter  of  those  arts  which  refine  and  elevate  the  mo- 
ral sentiments,  he  was  .honored  with  a  public  funeral.77 — Chalmers  Biog 
Dictionary. 

c  The  style  of  engravings  ranks  as  follows :  1st,  the  Line,  2d,  the  Stip- 
ple, 3d,  the  Mezzotint,  4th,  the  Aquatint,  and  5th,  the  Lithograph. 

Of  the  Shakspeare  plates,  about  one  third  are  line,  and  the  balance 
a  compound  of  the  line  and  stipple.  They  are  exquisitely  and  elaborate- 
ly  engraved,  and  the  general  size  of  the  coppers  is  20  x  26  inches.  In 
many  of  the  plates,  especially  where  satins,  laces,  or  embroideries  are 
introduced  into  the  draperies,  a  grand  effect  is  produced,  which  could 
not  possibly  be  attained  with  the  simple  line. 

To  show  the  extremely  low  price  affixed  to  the  Shakspeare  Plates  in 
the  Prospectus,  the  prices  of  the  following  prints  are  copied  from  the 
trade  catalogue  of  the  great  London  publishing  house,  Ackermann  &  Co. 
The  custom  of  the  trade  is,  to  affix  three  prices  to  engravings,  which 
they  call  the print^  the  proof,  and  the  proof  'before  the  letter.  The  price  of 
the  proof  is  usually  double  that  of  the  print ;  and  of  the  proof  before  the 
letter,  three  times  as  much ;  and  when  the  proofs  become  scarce,  their 
value  sometimes  is  greatly  increased.  The  price  here  given  is  always 
for  the  print.  The  pound  sterling  is  rendered  into  federal  currency, 
leaving  out  the  fractions  for  brevity.  Also,  for  the  same  reason,  several 
prints  are  grouped  together,  when  the  style,  size,  and  price  are  about  the 
same.  Line  stands  for  line  :  stipple  for  stipple :  mezt.  for  mezzotint ;  aqt- 
for  aquatint  5  and  lith.  for  lithograph.  The  names  of  the  artists  are  gene- 
rally omitted  ;  but  where  they  are  given,  the  first  is  the  painter,  and  the 
second  the  engraver.  The  figures  refer  to  the  size  of  the  plate  in  inches. 
Copied  from  "  Ackermann  &  Go's  Catalogue  of  prints,  comprising  the 
new,  important,  and  standard  engravings,  selected  from  their  own  and 
the  stock  of  every  other  publisher,'1  containing  about  600  different  prints. 


PROSPECTUS.  17 

1  up  to  100,  in  the  lower  left  hand  corner,  for  the 
direction  of  the  binder,  and  for  the  convenience 
of  those  sending  orders.  This  is  important,  for 
hardly  a  copy  of  the  original  work  can  be  found 
in  which  some  of  the  plates  are  not  misplaced ; 
and,  as  there  are  many  worn  impressions  in  the 


Two  portraits  of  the  Queen,  22  x  31,  mezt. ;  two  portraits  of  Prince 
Albert,  as  Field  Marshal,  and  in  full  robes,  21  x  30,  mezt. ;  portraits  of  the 
Queen,  and  Prince  Albert,  a  pair,  22  x  31,  line  ;  the  Queen,  equestrian 
portrait,  Six  36.  mezt.  5  the  Queen,  dissolving  Parliament,  a  full  length 
portrait,  mezt.  ;  several  other  subjects,  each  $15,00. 

Portraits  of  the  Queen  Dowager,  16  x  25,  mezt. ;  do.  Emperor  of  Rus- 
sia, 17  x26j  mezt, ;  do.  Grand  Duke  of  Russia,  17  x  26,  mezt. ;  several  por- 
traits of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  by  different  artists  ;  do.  of  other  dis- 
tinguished persons,  mostly  mezt.,  some  line,  each  $10,00. 

The  Heroes  of  Waterloo  at  Apsley  House,  22  x  28,  mezt. ;  the  Queen's 
First  Council,  23  x  34,  mezt. ;  the  Coronation.  22  x  34,  mezt. ;  do.  another 
24  x  34,  mezt,  ;  Her  Majesty's  Marriage,  22  x  34,  mezt. ;  Trial  of  Effie 
Deans,  22  x  26,  inezt. ;  Prince  Charles  Edward,  19  x  30,  line  ;  Reading  the 
first  Bible  in  St.  Paul's,  19  x  27,  line  ;  Haddon  Hall  in  the  days  of  yore, 
22  x  34,  mezt. ;  and  others,  each  $20,00. 

About  30  portraits  of  the  Queen,  Prince  Albert,  Duke  of  Wellington, 
and  other  distinguished  personages,  in  mezt.j  line,  and  stipple,  size  about 
12  x  15,  each,  $5,  to  $7,50. 

The  Waterloo  Banquet  at  Apsley  House,  after  W.  Slater,  25  x  44,  $b' 

The  Waterloo  Banquet  at  Apsley  House,  after  Sir  David  Wilkie,  i.  _u., 
$60,00. 

The  Queen's  First  Council,  23  x  34,  mezt. ;  the  Coronation,  22  x  34  • 
do.  another,  24  x  34,  mezt. ;  each  $25,00. 

The  Queen  receiving  the  first  sacrament,  after  Leslie,  23  x  43,  $60,00 

Martyrs  in  prison,  20  x  27,  mezt. ;  Jacob's  Dream,  19  x  27,  mezt. ;  Death- 
bed of  Calvin,  20  x  26,  mezt.;  Death -bed  of  Wolsey,  ^5  x  32,  mezt. ;  Cov- 
enanter's Baptism,  18  x  24,  mezt. ;  Covenanters  Preaching,  18  x  24,  mezt. ; 
Judgment  of  Solomon,  18  x  24,  mezt. ;  Opening  of  the  Sixth  Seal,  19  x  27, 
mezt. ;  King  Charles  the  First  in  the  Guard-room,  13  x  19,  line  ;  Trial  of 
the  Earl  of  Stafford,  14  x  21,  mezt, ;  and  many  other  like  subjects,  each 
$10,00. 

Sunday  Morning,  17  x  23,  stipple  ;  Prayer  of  Innocence,  12  x  13,  line- 
Eleventh  Hour,  17  x  20,  mezt.;  Canterbury  Pilgrimage,  10  x  37.  line; 


18  PROSPECTUS. 

market,  this  will  be  a  certain  mark,  by  which  to 
distinguish  the  restored  prints. 

A  list  of  all  the  patrons  of  the  work,  with  a 
preface,  will  be  given  in  the  concluding  part, 
to  be  bound  up  with  it. 

S.  SPOONER. 


Flitch  of  Bacon,  12  x  30,  line  ;  Sale  of  the  Pet  Lamb,  15  x  20,  mczt. ;  By- 
ron's Dream,  15  x  23,  line ;  Corsair's  Isle,  22  x  27,  mezt. ;  Highland  Hos- 
pitality, 1 7  x  23,  mezt. ;  Saricho  and  the  Duchess,  14x18,  line  ;  Portia 
andBassanio,  13  x  15,  line;  Shylockand  Jessica,  14  x  13,  line  ; Child  with 
Flowers,  10x13,  line ;  Wolf  and  Lamb,  1G  x  19,  mezt. ;  and  over  100  sim- 
ilar subjects,  in  mezt.;  line,  and  stipple  form,  10  x  14  to  18  x  24,  each,  $5 
to  $7,50. 

Italian  Pilgrims,  19  x  28,  line ;  Trial  of  Charles  the  First,  22  x  29,  mezt.  i 
Prince  Charles  Edward,  and  Flora  McDonald,  21  x  30,  stipple  ;  Baronial 
Hall,  22  x  30,  mezt.;  Highland  Drovers,  after  Landseer,  17  x  19,  mezt. . 
Bolton  Abbey,  22  x  28,  mezt. ;  Slave  Market,  22  x  24,  mezt. ;  and  many 
others — each,  $15,00. 

There  are  also  quite  a  number  of  other  prints,  ranging  from  15  to  30, 
and  even  60  dollars.  Prints  after  Sir  David  Wilkie,  Landseer,  and  Mar. 
tin,  usually  range  from  5  to  20  dollars  ;  some  few  are  much  higher. 

About  50  Lithographs,  as  All  Fours,  The  Coronation,  Too  Hot,  A  Poser, 
How  are  You  ?  The  Bubble,  Pet  Pig,  Pet  Lamb,  Domestic  Felicity,  Sleep- 
ing Nymph,  Done  Up,  &c.,  from  9  x  12  to  12  x  16,  each,  $1.50. 

Eight  hunting  pieces,  about  17  x  28,  mezt. ;  each,  $15,00. 

Fifty  Hunting  and  Sporting  Pieces,  Stage  Coaches,  Races,  Race  Horses, 
&c..  aqt..  each,  about  $5,00. 

Thus,  it  will  be  seen,  that  the  price  of  the  Shakspeare  prints  is  cer- 
tainly not  over  one  fifteenth  part  of  the  present  price  of  English  prints 
of  the  same  class,  and  is  actually  less  than  that  of  English  Lithographs  of 
about  one  quarter  the  size. 


APPENDIX. 


HAVING  now  issued  nine  parts  (18  plates)  of  the  American  Edition  of 
BoydelPs  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare,  it  appears  to  me  proper,  that  I 
should  make  some  farther  statements  in  order  to  correct  the  errors  which 
frequently  meet  my  eye  in  the  public  prints,  as  well  as  to  satisfy  numerous 
enquirers.  I  ought  also  to  express  my  heart-felt  thanks  to  those  gentle- 
men of  the  Press,  and  others,  who  have  in  the  kindest  and  most  liberal 
manner  noticed  the  work,  and  recommended  it  to  public  patronage. — 
Cheered  on  by  these  flattering  testimonials  of  approbation,  I  heed  not  the 
jealous  attacks  which  have  been  wafted  from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlan- 
tic, nor  shall  I  regard  the  attempts  at  BLACK  MAIL,  made  by  certain  persons 
in  this  city.  My  house  has  been  open  from  the  first,  to  every  person 
who  felt  interested  in  the  work,  and  many  hundred  persons,  among  whom 
are  many  of  our  most  distinguished  citizens,  have  called  and  examined 
the  original  copper-plates,  the  process  of  restoration,  compared  the  proofs 
taken  from  the  restored  plates  with  the  original  proofs  struck  by  Boydell 
himself,  side  by  side  ;  and  they  have  pronounced  the  restoration  entirely 
successful,  and  have  recommended  the  work  in  the  most  liberal  spirit,  as 
every  way  worthy  of  public  confidence  and  support.  It  were  impossible 
to  deceive  such  men,  and  any  attempt  to  palm  off  upon  the  public  an  un- 
truth, or  an  imposition,  would  indeed  be  superlatively  ridiculous.  The 
magnitude  of  the  enterprise  will  at  once  be  perceived  on  reflecting  that 
there  are  100  plates  in  the  series,  one-third  of  which  are  line,  and  the 
others  a  compound  of  the  line  and  stipple  ;  that  every  line  has  to  be  re-cut, 
the  stippling  re-stippled  in  every  part  of  the  plates,  and  in  some  parts  of 
them,  the  process  has  to  be  repeated  several  times  in  gradually  working  up 
the  plates  to  their  original  proof  state.  I  have  now  seven  engravers  con- 
stantly employed,  and  shall  have  to  increase  the  number  as  the  work  pro- 
gresses. It  may  not  be  thought  improper  for  me  to  state,  that  I  engaged  in 
the  enterprise  against  the  advice  of  many  warm  and  respected  friends,rely- 
ing  entirely  upon  my  own  resources  ;  and  that  when  its  success  was  placed 
beyond  a  doubt,  I  promptly  refused  an  offer  of  £10.000  for  the  plates,  also 
against  their  advice,  not  in  any  expectation  of  receiving  greater  offers  or 
greater  profit ;  but  that  it  is  my  own  favorite  project,  and  that  my  belief 
is  that  a  man  could  in  no  way  do  so  much  to  promote  the  advancement 
of  those  arts  which  refine  and  elevate  the  mind,  in  our  beloved  country, 
as  the  extensive  circulation  of  these  magnificent  prints ;  and  for  this 
purpose  I  have  made  the  price  as  low  as  possible,  in  order  to  put  them 
within  the  means  of  every  man  of  taste. 


20  APPENDIX. 

The  following  letter  from  Gov.  Everett  to  my  agents  in  Boston,  is  so 
liberal  and  just,  that  I  beg  to  call  particular  attention  to  it. 

CAMBRIDGE,  Nov.  4,  1848. 

"  GENTLEMEN — 1  have  received  your  letter  of  the  2d,  with  the  copy  of  the 
new  edition  of  the  Prospectus  of  the  "  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare  "  sent 
with  it.  As  I  have  not  had  an  opportunity  to  place  the  impressions  from 
the  restored  plates  side  by  side  with  the  original  prints,  I  have  formed  my 
opinion  of  the  probable  success  of  Dr  Spooner's  great  undertaking  on  the 
testimony  of  the  gentlemen  whose  names  are  given  in  the  Prospectus  as 
having  made  the  comparison.  Several  of  them  are  so  well  known  as 
distinguished  artists,  and  persons  of  highly  cultivated  taste,  that  I  feel 
confident  the  proposed  American  publication  will  be  as  substantial  a  re- 
production of  the  original  magnificent  work  of  Boydell,  as  the  nature 
of  the  case  admits.  In  this  expectation  I  have  subscribed  for  it,  and  wish 
it  all  success.  I  am,  gentlemen,  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

MESSRS.  REDDING  &  Co.  EDWARD  EVERETT." 

It  would  require  a  volume  to  give  even  short  extracts  from  the  nume- 
rous recommendatory  notices  of  the  work  which  have  appeared  in  the 
public  prints  throughout  the  country.  The  work  is  so  well  known  to  the 
world,  that  commendation  seems  superfluous.  It  has  stood  the  test  of 
seventy  years'  criticism,  and,  like  Shakspeare,  its  reputation  has  steadily 
increased  ever  since  its  publication.  No  better  proof  of  this  fact  can  be 
desired,  than  this— that  most  of  the  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare,  published 
since  Boydell's  time,  have  been  pirated  in  whole  or  in  part  from  his  great 
work.  A  beautiful  edition  of  Shakspeare  has  recently  been  published  in 
Germany,  illustrated  in  miniature  after  Boydell. 

l:  The  restoration  is  entirely  successful,  and  has  the  unqualified  appro- 
bation of  the  best  critics  in  such  matters.  The  work  originally  cost  an 
incredible  sum,  and  the  whole  artistic  talent  of  Great  Britain  was  laid 
under  contribution  for  twenty  years  in  producing  it.  The  restoration  of 
the  work  is  a  great  enterprise  which  should  enlist  the  sympathies  and 
liberal  patronage  of  the  public." — Courier  and  Enquirer,  July  20,  1848. 

"  The  impressions  from  the  restored  plates  appear  like  proofs,  and  com- 
•  pare  very  accurately  with  the  early  proofs.  The  restoration  is  most  per- 
fect and  satisfactory.  Boydell's  price  was  one  hundred  guineas." — N.  Y. 
Evening  Post,  July  21. 

"  We  have  examined  the  original  proofs,  the  defaced  impressions,  and 
the  restored  copies,  side  by  side,  and  consider  the  last  in  no  respect  infe- 
rior to  the  first."— A'.  Y.  Tribune,  July  28. 

"  It  is  an  enterprise  worthy  of  the  most  liberal  encouragement."  — 
Commercial  Advertiser,  July  20. 

11  It  is  a  subject  of  congratulation  among  the  lovers  of  the  fine  arts,  to 
see  the  perfect  revival  of  this  magnificent  Shakspeare  Gallery.  The 
enterprising  proprietor  has  twelve  of  the  plates  restored,  and  several 
others  are  in  rapid  progress.  Dr.  Spooner  has  fixed  the  price  of  each 
pla  e  at  only  one  dollar.  The  original  subscription,  we  believe,  was 
two  guineas.  It  ought  to  have,  and  no  doubt  will  have  a  large  circula- 
tion. Every  housekeeper  should  possess  himself  of  the  entire  series."-^ 
Noah's  Weekly  Messenger,  July  20. 


APPENDIX.  21 

"  The  restoration  is  pronounced  by  the  best  judges  perfectly  successful 
and  equal  to  the  first  proofs.  Each  plate  has  a  letter-press  description 
accompanying  it,  which  is  a  perfect  key  to  each  figure,  and  which  adds 
greatly  to  the  interest  and  beamy  of  the  work.  The  price  is  only  one 
dollar' the  plate,  which  is  exceedingly  low,  being  only  one-tenth  part  of 
Boydell's  proof  price.  This  is  certainly  a  great  undertaking,  which 
should  be  encouraged  by  every  lover  of  the  fine  arts." — Home  Journal, 
July  '22. 

"  Having  examined  the  original  copper  plates,  and  compared  the  proofs 
taken  from  the  restored  plates  with  a  prool  copy  struck  by  Boydell  him- 
self, we  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  in  our  judgment  the  restoration 
is  perfectly  successful  in  every  particular.  Dr.  Spooner  has  a  certificate 
to  this  effect,  signed  by  more  than  one  hundred  well-known  citizens  of 
New- York." — Commercial  Advertiser,  Aug.  7. 

"  THE  SIIAKSPEARE  PLATES — PART  III.  This  part  contains  the  two  fa- 
mous prints  after  Peters,  illustrating  the  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor — the 
one,  Mrs.  Ford  and  Mrs.  Page  comparing  letters ;  the  other,  Falstaff  in 
the  buck  basket.  Both  plates  are  engraved  in  the  most  masterly  manner. 
They  were  the  most  difficult  to  restore  in  the  whole  series,  in  consequence 
of  their  having  been  Avorn  to  smoothness  by  the  demand  for  impressions 
The  restoration,  however,  has  bepn  perfectly  successful.  The  prints  are 
fully  brought  up  to  the  beauty  of  the  proof  copy.  We  have  compared 
them  side  "by  side.  The  work,  as  it  progresses,  inci eases  in  beauty,  and, 
when  completed,  will  form  the  most  splendid  and  original  work  ever  exe- 
cuted. This  great  and  worthy  enterprise  ought  to  be  encouraged  by  every 
lover  of  the  fine  arts  and  every  liberal  man." — Courier  fy  Enquirer,  Sep.  10. 

"BOYDELL'S  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  SIIAKSPEARE. — An  American  edition  of 
this  celebrated  work  is  now  publishing  under  the  proprietory  care  of  Dr. 
Spooner,  of  New- York.  Eight  of  these  large  and  superb  plates  have  ap- 
peared, and  on  comparing  them  with  the  old  English  edition,  we  have 
been  surprised  at  the  freshness  and  perfection  of  the  impressions.  The 
London  Athenaeum  recently  expressed  its  incredulity  at  the  possibility  of 
procuring  any  more  good  impressions  from  these  plates.  But  we  think 
that  no  candid  examiner  can  deny  that  Dr.  Spooner  has  succeeded  fully 
in  his  undertaking.  Many  of  the  impressions  could  not  be  distinguished 
from  the  original  issues,  except  from  the  tint  of  the  paper.  All  amateurs 
and  lovers  of  prints  should  call  at  Redding  &  Co.'s,  the  Boston  Agents, 
and  look  at  the  eight  plates  that  have  been  published.  They  are  afforded 
at  less  than  one-fifth  of  the  London  price." — Boston  Evening  Transcript, 
Oct.  11. — Park  Benjamin,  Esq.,  Ed. 

BOYDELL'S  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  SHAKSPEARE  — Some  time  since,  after  we 
had  examined  the  original  plates  in  process  of  restoration,  we  called  the 
attention  of  our  readers  to  the  pleasure  preparing  for  them.  The  expec- 
tations which  we  then  entertained  have  been  more  than  realized.  The 
proprietor  has  spared  no  expense  in  the  restoration.  He  has  not  only 
brought  the  plates  to  the  beauty  of  the  most  perfect  copies  we  have  ever 
seen,  but  he  has  given  them  all  the  beauty  and  boldness  and  finish  of 
proofs.  A  more  beautiful  work  of  art  than  the  whole  series  will  present, 
we  cannot  imagine.  The  genius  of  the  poet  and  the  artist  combine  to 
lend  a  lustre  to  each  picture  ;  the  whole  forming  the  most  original  work 
ever  executed.  In  comparison  with  these  prints,  all  other  illustrations 
of  Shakspeare  fall  into  insignificance.  It  is  a  matter  of  public  congrat- 
ulation that  our  country  has  thus  become  possessed  of  one  of  England's 
proudest  monuments  of  intellectual  ffjory.  We  «ee  tb^t  it  i<*  pJre?.dtr  Av- 
erting envy  on  the  other  side  of  ihe  Atlantic."—  Home  Journal,  Aug.  10. 


22  APPENDIX. 

The  following  article  is  extracted  from  He  wet's  Excelsior  and  Illustrated 
Times.  Mr.  Hewet's  reputation  as  a  man  of  taste,  and  as  the  illustrator 
of  a  very  beautiful  edition  of  Shakspeare,  and  of  other  works,  is  toe 
widely  known  to  require  comment. 

"  Boydell's  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare  is  a  work  so  well  known  that  it 
is  unnecessary  to  comment  upon  it  here  to  any  extent.  Beyond  dispute, 
it  is  the  most  magnificent  work  ever  executed  in  any  age  or  country. — 
Upwards  of  sixty  of  the  most  renowned  artists  of  the  world  were  en- 
gaged in  designing,  painting  and  engraving  the  work,  upwards  of  twenty 
years.  It  was  commenced  in  1785,  and  finished  in  1809.  Alderman 
Boydell,  afterwards  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  a  very  wealthy  man,  resolved 
to  immortalize  his  own  name,  as  well  as  to  gratify  his  love  of  the  fine 
arts,  by  getting  up  a  series  of  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare  that  should  be 
worthy  of  the  immortal  bard,  and  an  honor  to  his  country.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  poured  out  his  money  like  water,  laid  the  whole  artistic  talent  of 
the  world  under  contribution,  and,  after  many  years  of  indefatigable  ex- 
ertion, produced  his  world-renowned  "  100  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare/5 
at  an  expense,  as  is  said,  of  a  million  sterling.  To  give  an  idea  of  the 
immense  original  cost  of  the  work,  it  is  only  necessary  to  say,  that  in 
addition  to  the  preparatory  expenses,  such  as  designs,  paintings,  gallery, 
&c.,  many  of  the  plates  are  known  to  have  had  six  years'  labor  of  the 
engraver  bestowed  on  a  single  plate. 

"  About  seven  years  ago  Dr.  S.  Spooner,  a  wealthy  citizen  of  this  city, 
and  a  man  of  great  taste,  bought  all  the  original  copper  plates  of  this 
magnificent  work,  with  the  intention  to  restore  them  to  their  original  proof 
state,  as  the  greatest  boon  he  could  offer  his  country  and  the  world.  After 
several  years  of  fruitless  efforts,  he  learned  that  Mr.  George  Parker,  of 
London,  was  the  only  man  known  capable  of  undertaking  the  supervision 
of  the  great  enterprise,  and  he  forthwith  made  him  such  overtures  as  in- 
duced him  to  come  out  and  undertake  the  restoration  of  the  work.  Dr. 
Spooner  commenced  operation  on  the  most  worn  plates — of  course  the 
most  difficult  ones  to  restore — and  in  due  time  several  Avere  restored  to 
such  perfection  as  astonished  every  beholder.  Sanguine  of  success,  and 
confident  in  his  own  resources,  the  Dr.  went  on  with  his  great  enterprise, 
until  it  leaked  out  and  got  into  the  newspapers,  which  caused  quite  a 
stir,  when  he  began  to  encounter  opposition  from  a  quarter  where  he  least 
expected  it.  To  counteract  this  mischief,  he  invited  all  the  most  distin- 
guished artists,  engravers,  connoisseurs  and  literary  men  in  the  city  to  his 
house,  to  critically  examine  the  original  plates,  and  to  compare  the  proofs 
taken  from  the  restored  plates  with  the  late  Ithiel  Town's  proof  copy  of 
the  old  work.  We  had  the  pleasure  of  being  present  at  this  interesting 
meeting.  Many  of  our  first  engravers  brought  their  glasses  with  them. 
The  result  was,  that  the  whole  meeting,  without  a  dissenting  voice,  de- 
clared the  proofs  from  the  restored  plates,  fully  equal  to  the  proofs  struck 
by  Boydell  himself.  Nay,  many  went  further,  and  declared  them  superior 
in  several  respects. 

"  It  is  now  only  necessary  for  us,  as  engravers,  to  describe  how  this 
wonderful  operation  is  performed.  Every  body  knows,  or  ought  to  know, 
that  the  great  labor  and  difficulty  of  engraving  is  to  transfer  the  drawing 
to  the  plate,  or  to  etch  upon  the  plate  the  picture  to  be  engraved,  in  all  its 
due  proportion.?.  No\vr,  the  process  of  restoring  these  plates  is  precisely 
that  of  working  up  and  finishing  new  plates.  The  ground  work  is  all 
there — every  line,  however  minute,  has  to  be  recut  with  the  graver 
Thus  it  is  easily  seen,  that  there  is  no  difficulty  in  their  restoration,  to  a 


p 
B 


APPENDIX.  23 

man  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  original  work  and  the  styles  of  en- 
graving adopted  ;  yet  it  is  an  immense  labor.  It  is  one  of  the  boldest 
and  most  costly  enterprises  of  the  kind  ever  engaged  in  by  a  single  man. 
It  is  an  enterprise  that  should  arouse  the  sympathy  and  aid  of  every  lib- 
eral man,  both  by  his  subscription  and  his  personal  recommendation  of 
the  work.  The  circulation  of  this  truly  magnificent  work  in  our  country, 
cannot  but  be  of  the  highest  benefit  to  the  fine  arts,  by  giving  a  correct 
taste  and  love  for  the  highest  works  of  art.  It  is  a  matter  of  public  con- 
gratulation that  our  country  has  become  possessed  of  one  of  England's 
greatest  treasures:  We  have  frequently  examined  the  work  in  progress, 
and  know  the  truth  of  what  we  say.  Dr.  Spooner  has  the  right  kind  of 
taste  and  enthusiasm,  as  well  as  ample  means,  to  engage  in  such  an  enter- 

rise, and  will  complete  the  work,  even  were  it  at  the  loss  of  thousands. 

ut  this  cannot  be.  The  enterprise  is  only  just  getting  known,  yet  sub- 
scriptions are  pouring  in  upon  him  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  He 
has  received  an  ofifcr  of  ten  thousand  pounds  for  his  copper  plates.  The 
offer  was  made  by  a  London  publishing  house,  through  their  agent 
here.  Of  course  it  was  unhesitatingly  rejected  by  the  proprietor,  in  jus- 
tice to  his  subscribers,  his  pledges,  and  his  reputation.  Though  the  sum 
seems  large,  what  is  it  in  comparison  to  the  original  cost  of  the  work  — 
.£1,000.000  sterling  !  These  magnificent  plates  will  live  and  be  prized  as 
long  as  Shakspeare  is  admired,  and  they  will  find  a  ready  market  in  every 
part  of  the  world." 

The  following  article  is  extracted  from  the  Tuscaloosa  Monitor  of  Dec, 
9th,  1848,  edited  by  M.  D.  J.  Slade,  Esq.  Of  the  many  editorial  notices 
which  have  fallen  under  my  observation,  few  have  taken  so  noble,  just, 
and  disinterested  a  view  of  the  subject.  The  original  article  is  more 
than  two  columns  in  length.  The  Editor  first  calls  attention  to  the  enter- 
prise in  the  following  language: 

"  We  would  suggest  to  our  exchanges,  the  expediency  of  giving  to  their 
readers  some  information  in  regard  to  the  re-publication  of  Boycleil's  great 
work,  of  which  an  account  is  contained  in  the  present  Monitor.  We  make 
this  suggestion  without  having  the  slightest  personal  interest  in  the  mat- 
ter, nor  even  any  acquaintance  with  any  one  who  has  ;  our  motive  being 
simply  a  desire  to  see  proper  encouragement  extended  to  a  noble  work  of 
art,  and  a  general  diffusion  given  to  so  excellent  a  means  of  elevating 
the  public  taste." 

He  then  goes  on  and  gives  an  admirable  historical  account  of  the  work, 
and  description  of  the  same,  which  must  be  omitted  here  for  want  of 
room. 

"  We  have  recently  had  an  opportunity  of  examining  eight  of  these 
restored  engravings,  which  are  now  in  Tuscaloosa.  Some  years  have 
passed  since  we  saw  a  set  of  the  original  proofs.  We  cannot,  therefore, 
ourselves  speak  of  these  impressions  from  direct  comparison  ;  but  we  can 
say  that  they  are  pre-eminently  beautiful  and  striking;  and  we  are  wil- 
ling to  admit  the  testimony  of  the  numerous  artists  and  connoisseurs 
who  have  made  the  comparison  with  close  and  severe  scrutiny,  that  they 
can  in  no  manner  be  distinguished  from  the  originals." 

The  editor  here  describes  the  plates  and  then  proceeds  : 

u  Description,'  however,  in  matters  of  this  kind,  is  of  little  value.  To 
be  understood,  these  pictures  must  be  seen.  We  presume  that  they  ^iil 
be  accessible  to  any  person  interested. 


24  APPENDIX. 

"  Dr.  Spoonor  commenced  his  labor  of  restoration,  by  very  wisely  se- 
lecting plates  which  had  suffered  most  from  wear,  as  the  first  subjects  of 
his  experiments.  The  complete  success  which  has  attended  his  efforts, 
has  excited  surprise  and  awakened  a  lively  interest  in  the  work,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  water.  He  has  already  been  offered  from  England,  fifty 
thousand  dollars  for  the  plates ;  but  he  has  resolutely  refused  to  part  with 
them.  His  publishing  price  is  one  dollar  only  for  each  engraving. 
Prints  of  equal  size,  executed  in  similar  style,  sell,  according  to  Acker- 
man  &  Co.'s  catalogue,  at  prices  varying  from  $15  to  $25  in  London.  It 
appears,  therefore,  to  be  abundantly  manifest,  that  Dr.  Spooner  is  by  no 
means  mercenary  in  his  present  undertaking.  His  price  is,  plainly 
enough,  not  fixed  for  the  purpose  of  making  profit  by  the  operation.  The 
prints  are  sold  very  far  below  their  value  ;  and  were  the  plates  to  pass 
into  other  hands,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  price  would  at  once  go 
up,  and  that  the  world  of  taste  would  suffer,  while  the  speculators  would 
gain.  The  present  proprietor  seems  to  be  actuated  by  a  love  of  art  him- 
self, and  a  desire  to  promote  such  a  feeling  in  others.  Nothing  certainly 
in  the  power  of  one  man  to  do,  could  txert  a  more  beneficial  influence  in 
improving  the  public  taste,  than  the  general  distribution  of  so  superb  a 
work  as  this.  We  sincerely  trust,  however,  that  one  who  has  himself 
evinced  so  liberal  a  spirit  may  not  in  the  end  prove  a  loser  by  his  libe- 
rality. The  original  projector  of  this  great  work  succeeded  in  his  grand 
design,  but  sank,  himself,  beneath  its  enormous  weight.  Its  restorer  must 
invest  a  very  large  capital  in  his  difficult  and  hazardous  undertaking ; — 
but  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  his  labors  will  terminate  in  a  happier  issue. 

"  There  are  in  Alabama — there  are,  we  hope,  in  this  community,  some 
who  know  how  to  value  the  achievements  of  art.  There  are  those  whose 
refined  tastes  are  capable  of  appreciating  the  beautiful,  the  magnificent, 
the  grand.  And,  utilitarian  as  this  age  may  be,  there  are  not  wanting 
individuals  who  do  not  believe  that  all  usefulness  is  confined  to  the 
mechanical  and  the  physical.  There  are  those  who  believe  that  the 
world  is  made  better  in  proportion  as  its  tastes  are  elevated  audits  senti- 
ments refined  ;  and  who  can  therefore  perceive,  in  painting  and  in  sculp- 
ture, in  poetry,  and  in  music,  efficient  means  of  improving  the  human 
race.  Such  may  esteem  the  patronage  of  a  work  of  art  like  this,  a  thing 
worthy  to  be  encouraged  on  solid  and  substantial  grounds.  Others,  who 
feel  more  and  who  reason  less,  but  who  love  the  beautiful  for  its  own 
sake,  may  desire  to  possess  so  rich  a  collection  of  the  master-pieces  of  art, 
for  the  pleasure  it  is  capable  of  affording.  But  whatever  motive  may 
lead  any  to  lend  their  aid  to  so  laudable  an  undertaking,  we  trust  that 
Alabama  may  not  be  behind  her  sister  states  in  promoting  an  enterprise, 
which,  when  carried  out,  will  confer  the  highest  honor  on  the  country  in. 
which  it  is  attempted. 

"  The  great  labor  of  perfectly  restoring  one  hundred  large  engravings, 
each  of  them  a  perfect  study,  where  every  line  has  to  be  retouched  by  the 
graver. -must  necessarily  occupy  quite  a  length  of  time.  It  is  intended 
that  the  publication  shall  be  made  in  monthly  parts,  each  part  containing 
two  plates.  Thus,  though  the  entire  cost  of  the  work,  even  at  its  present 
very  low  price,  is  considerable,  it  is  spread  over  so  large  a  space  as  to 
render  it  light.  There  are  paintings  in  this  city,  we  presume,  which 
cost,  singly,  more  than  the  whole  set  of  Bcydell's  Illustrations ;  but  we 
question  whether  there  is  one  which  a  connoisseur  would  prefer  to  such 
a  set.  Let  those  who  have  shown  their  good  taste  by  encouraging  the 
productions  of  the  pencil,  consider  whether  they  have  not  now  a  fit  oppor- 
tunity to  do  equal  justice  to  the  burin." 

New-York,  March  1,  1849.  S.  SPOONER. 


NOTICE. 

THE  Proprietor  has  the  gratification  to  announce  to  the  subscribers  of 
the  American  edition  of  Boydell's  Illustrations  of  Shakspeare,  that  he  has 
succeeded  far  beyond  his  most  sanguine  expectations.  Many  obstacles 
and  difficulties  which  at  first  presented  themselves,  have  been  gradually 
overcome.  Sixteen  of  the  plates,  the  most  worn  in  the  whole  series, 
have  been  fully  restored  to  their  original  proof  state,  and  several  others 
are  in  the  hands  of  the  engravers,  in  process  of  restoration.  Thus,  in 
little  more  than  one  year,  we  have  restored  nearly  one-fourth  part  of  the 
entire  work,  which  will  enable  me  to  issue  the  work  regularly  in  monthly 
parts,  as  stated  in  the  Prospectus.  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  state  that  the 
plates  came  into  my  possession  more  than  six  years  ago,  that  I  purchased 
them  with  the  intention  to  restore  them,  and  that  I  found  it  impossible  to 
obtain  such  services  as  would  ensure  the  success  of  the  undertaking,  until 
it  was  my  good  fortune  to  secure  the  services  of  Mr.  George  Parker,  who 
has  the  entire  supervision  of  the  work.  This  gentleman,  in  addition  to 
his  great  knowledge  and  skill  in  the  art  of  engraving,  has  all  the  enthu- 
siasm of  his  old  preceptor,  Robert  Thew,  who  was  Alderman  Boydell's 
right  hand  man  in  getting  up  the  work  originally,  and  who  engraved  some 
of  the  most  admired  plates.  This  fact,  in  connection  with  his  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  work,  and  early  acquaintance  with  many  of  the  distin- 
guished artists  originally  engaged  upon  it,  are  a  sufficient  guaranty  that 
no  efforts  on  his  part  will  be  spared  to  make  the  work  fully  equal  to  the 
first  proofs  struck  by  Boydell  himself.  No  expense  will  certainly  be 
spared  on  my  part  to  effect  this  object,  and  as  I  commenced  the  restoration 
with  the  firm  and  deliberate  determination  to  prosecute  it  to  its  entire 
completion,  I  have  made  such  arrangements  as  will  effect  this  object  be- 
yond the  doubt  of  any  probable  contingency.  Indeed,  since  we  com- 
menced operations,  several  hundred  of  the  first  artists,  engravers,  connois- 
seurs, and  literary  men  in  the  country  have  examined  the  work  in  progress, 
and  compared  the  proofs  taken  from  the  restored  plates  with  the  original 


proof  copy,  and  some  proofs  before  the  letter,  in  my  possession,  and 
without  a  dissenting  voice,  they  have  pronounced  the  proofs  taken  from 
the  restored  plates  fully  equal  to  the  original  proofs ;  very  many  have 
gone  farther  and  declared  them  superior.  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying 
that  the  American  edition,  when  completed,  will  be  an  improvement  on  the 
English,  in  several  respects,  without  interfering  with  the  originality  of  the 
work  in  the  least,  which  will  be  preserved  with  the  greatest  care.  The 
ines  are  cut  in  deeper,  which  gives  the  prints  a  sharper  and  clearer  ap- 
pearance. -  The  work  is  also  printed  on  far  better  paper.  The  letter-press 
description  and  key  to  the  plates  is  also  a  distinguishing  feature  of  the 
American  edition,  and  adds  greatly  to  the  interest,  beauty  and  value  of  the 
work.  Not  one  person  in  a  hundred  can  fully  appreciate  these  plates 
without  deep  study,  unless  assisted  by  a  descriptive  key.  This  fact  1 
have  had  ample  opportunities  of  testing,  by  noting  the  observations  con- 
stantly dropping  from  the  many  persons  who  have  called  to  examine  the 
work.  The  cheapness  of  the  work  I  hardly  need  refer  to  ;  the  price  set 
is  certainly  not  above  one-fifteenth  part  of  the  present  English  publishing 
price  for  the  same  class  of  prints.  Besides  its  value  as  a  source  of  end- 
less amusement  and  instruction,  it  cannot  fail  to  be  a  good  investment : 
for  the  work  must  always  be  rare :  its  value  does  not  depend  upon  fashion-- 
it is  a  work  that  equally  interests  the  whole  civilized  world — not  a  work 
for  a  day,  but  for  all  time.  So  certain  am  I  of  the  perfection  of  the  re- 
storation, that,  with  the  advice  of  many  friends,  some  of  whom  are  for- 
eigners, I  am  making  arrangements  to  send  the  work  to  England  and  to 
the  continent — confident  that  its  republication  where  it  originated,  must 
be  attended  with  eminent  success.  S.  SPOONER. 

NeivYork,  Nov.  1,  1848. 

PLAN  OF  PUBLICATION. 

To  be  published  in  fifty  parts,  containing  two  plates  each,  to  be  issued 
the  first  of  every  month,  commencing  July  1,  1848.  Price  $2.00  per 
part,  to  subscribers  only.  All  letters  to  the  Proprietor  or  his  Agents 
should  be  post  paid. 


APPENDIX     CONTINUED. 


THE  foregoing  comprises  my  Prospectus,  and  I  publish  it  here  as  it  is, 
because  the  plates  are  stereotyped,  and  it  contains  an  interesting  history  of 
the  commencement  and  progress  of  the  enterprise.  It  will  be  perceived  that 
I  had  twelve  plates  fully  restored,  before  I  began  to  issue  the  work  in 
monthly  parts,  and  that  I  have  gone  on  gradually  increasing  my  operatives 
till  I  have  now  a  sufficient  force  to  complete  the  work  within  the  time  spe- 
cified in  the  Prospectus. 

As  a  matter  of  curiosity,  I  think  it  proper  to  state,  that  there  is  no  diffi- 
culty, in  skillful  hands,  of  restoring  old  plates,  if  they  are  not  too  much 
worn.  The  engraver  has  his  proof  before  him— there  is  no  invention — he 
sees  exactly  what  is  wanted— he  runs  his  graver  through  the  lines  with  ra- 
pidity, in  comparison  to  the  time  and  care  required  in  entering  new  ones. 
This  is  the  secret  of  success  in  restoring  the  work.  Every  line  is  recut, 
and  the  plates  worked  up,  so  that  they  are  like  new  ones. 

To  give  some  idea  of  the  immense  labor  bestowed  on  these  plates,  it  has 
been  estimated  by  engravers,  to  be  at  least  equal  to  400  years  of  constant 
labor— that  is,  it  would  require  20  engravers  constantly  for  20  years  to  en- 
grave the  work. 

The  following  card  to  subscribers,  on  issuing  Part  XIX.,  may,  with  pro- 
priety, be  introduced  here  : — 

C  ARD. 

Some  subscribers  to  the  Shakspeare  Illustrations,  having  made  com- 
plaints to  me,  and  expressed  doubts  as  to  whether  the  plates  are  fully 
brought  to  their  original  color , — I  beg  to  make  the  following  statements  for 
their  satisfaction. 

The  great  expense  of  restoring  these  plates  is  the  recutting  and  restip- 
pling.  The  getting  in  of  color  afterwards,  with  acids,  is  a  small  matter — 
?tnd  the  danger  is,  the  risk  of  getting  in  too  much.  Our  object  is  to  bring 
(he  work  up  to  its  original  state.  The  great  beauty  of  this  work,  is  its  strik. 
ing  originality,  and  the  fidelity  with  which  the  paintings  were  copied  by 
the  engravers.  Some  of  the  palest  plates  were  engraved  by  Bartolozzi, 
Earlom,  Thew,  and  others,  whose  reputation  is  world-renowned.  The 


28  A  P  P  E  N  D  I X— CONTINUED. 

modern  cheap  machine-made,  black  and  white  prints,  (I  mean  mezzotint 
and  ruled  engraving^,)  have  done  much  to  vitiate  the  public  taste.  Such 
prints  have  little  estimation  in  the  artist's  eye,  and  make  the  "judicious 
grieve."  Indeed,  the  restoration  of  some  of  these  plates  costs  more  than 
new  plates  would  in  this  style  of  engraving.  We  find  nothing  of  this  in 
the  works  of  the  most  renowned  engravers. 

Now  I  have  not  issued  a  plate  that  has  not  been  fully  brought  up  to  its 
original  color.  Indeed,  the  lining  and  stippling  are  cut  in  deeper  than  in 
the  original  plates,  which  gives  the  impression  a  clearness  and  shapeness 
of  line,  and  depth  of  color,  not  in  the  old  work.  I  have,  from  the  first, 
courted  comparison  with  the  old  work. 

The  twelve  first  plates  were  publicly  exhibited,  and  the  fidelity  of  the 
restoration  certified  to  by  more  than  200  of  our  most  distinguished  citizens, 
(see  certificate  in  Prospectus.)  and  almost  daily  since,  the  progress  of  the 
•work  has  been  inspected  by  many  of  our  best  judges,  (particularly  by  artists 
and  engravers,)  with  their  entire  approbation. 

I  have  not  spared  any  expense  to  perfect  the  work,  although  the  cost  thus 
far  has  been  double  my  receipts.  A  great  deal  of  new  lining  and  interlin- 
ing has  been  introduced  into  the  stipple  plates.  In  the  present  No.  (part 
19,  plate  24)  the  whole  back-ground  and  the  draperies  have  been  lined  with 
beautiful  effect.  The  old  plate  is  a  stipple,  and  has  the  flat  appearance  of  a 
lithograph,  (see,  in  particular,  parts  3,  4,  13  and  14.)  All  this,  I  need  not 
say,  adds  very  materially  to  the  cost  of  restoration. 

I  never  engaged  in  this  enterprise  with  the  expectation  of  profit.  Chance 
alone  threw  the  plates  into  my  possession  in  1842  ;  and  had  it  not  been  for 
me,  not  one  of  them  would  now  have  been  in  existence.  It  is  true,  that  I 
bought  them  with  a  view  to  their  restoration ;  and  when,  after  years  of  toil, 
I  began  to  issue  the  work,  it  was  hailed  as  a  magnificent  and  worthy  enter- 
prise, that  could  not  fail  to  benefit  the  fine-arts  in  our  country.  I  am  frank 
to  say,  that  the  work  is  my  delight  and  my  pride;  and  from  the  first,  the 
thought  has  cheered  me  on, — that  a  failure  of  the  enterprise  could  not  de- 
prive me  of  my  legitimate  means  of  support — my  profession.  One-half  of 
the  expense  is  incurred.  Thirty-eight  plates  are  before  you  ;  two  more  are 
finished  ;  twelve  are  in  the  hands  of  the  engravers,  and  my  engraving  and 
printing  establishment  is  in  perfect  order; — besides;  the  commencement  of 
a  novel  enterprise  like  this  is  always  attended  with  many  extra  expenses. 

One  thing  is  certain — the  work  must  always  be  rare  and  valuable.  I 
shall  shortly  publish  the  descriptions  in  quarto  form,  for  the  convenience 
of  subscribers ;  and  in  French  and  English,  for  the  Continent  of  Europe, 
where  the  work  has  never  been  sold  to  any  extent.  The  wars  between  Eng- 
land and  France  were  the  great  cause  of  Boydell's  failure,  by  destroying  his 
print  trade  on  the  Continent. 
In  conclusion,  I  beg  leave  to  complain  on  my  part,  that  many  of  my  sub- 


A  P  P  E  N  D I X— CONTINUED.  29 

scribers  are  far  in  arrears,  not  only  in  this  city,  but  in  every  part  of  the 
country.  Boydell  was  paid  two  guineas  the  plate,  for  the  first  300  impres- 
sions, and  one  guinea,  for  the  general  subscription  list,  always  paid  in 
advance.  I  give  you  the  same,  printed  on  far  better  paper,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  the  description  text,  for  One  Dollar,  on  delivery,  which,  in  con- 
science, ought  to  be  paid. 
Hoping  that  this  apology  will  prove  satisfactorily, 

I  remain  your  obedient  servant, 

S.  SPOONER. 
NEW- YORK,  April  1,  1850. 


BOYDELL'S  GALLERY. — Another  number  of  the  American  edition  of  this 
valuable  Gallery  has  been  published  by  Dr.  Spooner,  containing  two  plates 
in  "  Hamlet," — The  Ghost  Scene  on  the  Ramparts,  and  The  Mad  Scene  of 
Ophelia.  We  can  confidently  say  of  the 'latter,  that  in  deep  cutting  and 
bold  relief  it  far  exceeds  the  original,  and  is  from  the  painting  of  our  coun- 
tryman. Sir  Benjamin  West.  The  Ghost,  in  the  other  plate,  is  more  light 
and  spiritual  than  the  original.  When  the  whole  is  completed,  and  bound 
with  its  beautiful  letter-press,  every  gentleman  who  has  a  copy  of  it,  will 
place  the  highest  value  on  it.  Its  cost  is  not  the  one-fourth  of  the  original 
subscription;  besides,  the  monthly  payments  are  made  so  easily  as  not  to 
be  felt.  The  demand  ought  to  exceed  the  possibility  of  supplying  the  sub- 
scription. If  every  plate  was  framed,  what  a  splendid  gallery  it  would 
make. — NoaWs  Messenger,  May  5t/i,  1850. 

"  BOYDELL'S  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  SHAKSPEARE,"  (No  20,)  contains  two 
illustrations  of  Hamlet,  after  pictures  by  West  and  Fuseli.  They  have 
been  restored  with  extraordinary  success,  and  will  doubtless  be  considered 
by  all  connoisseurs  as  decided  improvements  on  the  original.  We  are  al- 
ways happy  to  call  attention  to  this  great  artistic  enterprise,  and  rejoice 
that  it  is  advancing  with  so  much  spirit  and  energy.  No  lover  of  Shak- 
speare,  or  friend  of  the  Arts  should  regard  it  with  indifference. — N.  Y.  Tri- 
bune, May  2d.  1850. 

"  BOYDELL'S  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  SHAKSPEARE."  (Part  20.)  The  restora- 
tion of  this  great  work  is  rapidly  progressing.  Part  20  has  just  been  issued 
by  the  publisher,  containing  the  two  renowned  plates  illustrating  Hamlet, 
after  West  and  Fuseli.  An  examination  of  the  two  last  numbers  published, 
must  satisfy  the  most  skeptical  that  no  labor  nor  expense  has  been  spared 
in  perfecting  the  restoration.  We  have  carefully  compared  the  restored 
prints  with  The  original,  and  give  our  preference  to  the  former  for  these  rea- 
sons. Part  19  illustrates  the  Merchant  of  Venice,  the  first  plate  of  which, 
in  the  old  work,  (Shylock's  Charge  to  Jessica,)  is  a  pure  stipple.  The  whole 
of  the  draperies,  in  the  restored  plate,  have  been  lined  with  fine  effect.  The 
second  plate,  (Night  Scene  at  Belmont.)  is  also  improved  in  effect,  by  deep- 
er shading  in  the  back-ground,  which  throws  out  the  flood  of  light  poured 
down  by  the  full  moon  upon  the  silver  waters.  In  the  first  plate.  Part  20, 
(Ghost  Scene,)  the  figure  of  the  Ghost,  from  which  the  light  in  the  picture 
emanates,  is  too  dark  in  the  old  plate :  it  is  much  lighter  in  the  restored 
one,  which  gives  it  a  more  spiritual  or  ghost-like  appearance.  The  deeper 
shading  in  the  fore-ground  also  adds  to  this  effect.  But  the  greatest  im- 
provement is  in  the  superb  line  plate  after  West's  Ophelia,  by  Legal.  The 


30  A  P  P  E  N  D I  X— CONTINUED. 

old  plate,  though  admitted  to  be  a  very  masterly  work,  has  been  criticised 
as  defective  in  chiaro-scuro,  or  light  and  shade.  This  arises  doubtless  from 
the  effect  of  the  painting  having  been  exactly  copied  by  the  engraver.  But 
Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  says  that  engravers,  not  having  the  advantage  of  the 
pallet  must  give  larger  and  broader  masses  of  light  and  shade  than  the 
painung  would  seem  to  warrant,  in  order  to  produce  the  necessary  effect  in 
black  and  white,  and  that  the  Flemish  engravers,  under  the  immediate  di- 
rection of  Reubens  and  Vandyck,  pursued  this  practice  in  engraving  their 
works.  In  restoring  this  plate,  the  draperies  of  the  King  and  Queen  have 
been  deepened,  and  those  of  Ophelia  and  Laertes  lightened,  which  gives 
the  required  relief.  There  will  be  found,  on  close  examination,  many  oth- 
er minor  improvements  in  these  prints,  which  space  will  not  allow  us  to 
particularize,  and  which  must  be  seen  and  compared  to  be  appreciated.— 
We  advise  all  who  feel  interested  to  call  on  Dr.  Spooner  and  examine  for 
themselves,  who  not  only  wishes,  but  courts  comparison,  and  is  ever  ready 
to  exhibit  the  copper-plates  and  proofs. — Home  Journal,  May  4././1,  1850. 

THE  SIIAKSPEARK  ILLUSTRATIONS. — No.  1G  of  this  work  has  arrived,  and 
fully  sustains  the  opinion  we  expressed  two  weeks  since  in  relation  to  the 
merits  of  the  restored  plates.  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds'  picture  of  Macbeth  in 
the  presence  of  the  witches,  (Act  4,  Scene  1,)  is  one  of  the  finest  conceptions 
in  the  range  of  art,  and  its  great  ideas  and  faithful  accessories,  its  wild  fan- 
tastic shapes  and  spectre  rings,  make  it  a  study  that  enchains  the  a'tention, 
and  not  a  tame  representation  of  a  fact,  or  a  prettiness  that  pleases  the  fan- 
cy. This  series  is  beginning  to  attract  the  attention  it  so  well  deserves,  and 
we  believe  that  a  large  number  of  copies  will  be  retained  in  Cincinnati. — 
Cincinnati  Columbian,  Feb.  20,  1850. 

It  is  impossible  to  compare  these  engravings  with  the  originals  of  Boy- 
dell's,  without  being  satisfied  that  they  are  the  genuine  plates,  and  rendered 
fully  equal  to  what  they  were  at  first.  Still  more,  no  man  of  taste  or  liter- 
ature can  examine  them,  without  being  impressed  with  wonder  at  the  min- 
ute accuracy,  historic  truth  and  fidelity  to  nature,  which  truly  renders 
them  what  they  profess  to  be — Illustrations  of  Shakspeare. —  Cist's  Cincin- 
nati Advertiser,  Dec.  12,  1849. 

The  restoration  of  the  plates  (part  13)  is  perfectly  successful,  and  has 
the  unqualified  approbation  of  the  best  critics  in  such  matters. — Courier  <$• 
Enquirer,  July  20,  1849. 

We  have  compared  the  proofs  side  by  side,  and  consider  the  restored 
plates  in  no  respect  inferior  to  the  originals. —  Tribune,  Jaly  21,  1849. 

The  impressions  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  original  issues,  except 
from  the  lint  of  the  paper.— Boston  Transcript,  Oct.  11,  1849. 

He  has  succeeded,  wonderful  to  relate,  in  obtaining  valuable  proof  im- 
pressions.— N.  Y.  Express,  March  21,  1849. 

The  restoration  of  these  plates  (parts  15  &  16)  is  eminently  successful.  The 
enterprise  undertaken  by  Dr.  Spooner  is  worthy  of  the  most  liberal  patron- 
age and  support.  If  the  American  Art-Union  have  paid  three  hundred  dol- 
lars for  restoring  the  mezzotint  plate  of  Gen.  Marion,  what  must  be  the 
expense  of  restoring  one  hundred  plates  like  these,  engraved  in  the  most 
elaborate  and  expensive  manner  7  The  publication  of  this  work  by  one  of 
our  own  citizens,  will  not  only  tend  to  a  cultivation  of  taste  for  the  higher 


A  P  P  E  N  D  I  X— CONTINUED.  31 

works  of  art,  but  it  will  add  to  our  national  reputation  in  the  world  of  art , 
for  the  restoring  of  old  plates,  so  as  to  obtain  valuable  impressions,  is  novel, 
and  originated  with  Dr.  Spooner. — Home  Journal,  Jan.  12,  1850. 

To  the  liberality  and  indefatigable  perseverance  of  Dr.  Spooner,  the 
world  will  be  indebted  for  the  complete  restoration  of  one  of  the  grandest 
works  ever  undertaken  by  human  hands — we  allude  to  Boydell's  celebrated 
Illustrations  of  Shakspeare.— N.  Y.  Sun,  Aug.  12,  1849. 

It  is  a  splendid  work,  and  every  gentleman  who  has  a  parlor  or  a  library 
ought  to  have  a  copy,  at  a  rate  so  cheap,  that  the  annals  of  art  have  nothing 
equal  to  it.  On  a  careful  examination  of  this  number,  (part  14,)  with  the 
originals,  we  do  not  hesitate  saying,  that  the  restored  plates  far  surpass  the 
originals.  The  deep  shades  and  lights  are  more  boldly  thrown  out,  and 
the  defects  are  avoided. — Noah's  Messenger,  Oct.  7,  1849. 

BOYDELL'S  ILLUSTRATIONS. — We  had  the  pleasure  on  Saturday  evening, 
in  company  with  a  few  friends  in  this  city,  of  known  taste  in  such  matters, 
of  comparing  the  restored  plates  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Macomber,  with  the 
complete  work  belonging  to  Ex-Gov.  A,  V.  Brown ;  and  came  to  the  con- 
clusion— as  did  all  who  were  present — that  those  now  coming  out  are  in 
every  respect,  to  say  the  least,  equal  to  those  first  issued.  It  was  a  real 
treat  to  all  present,  and  no  one  who  has  not  examined  the  series  can  imag- 
ine the  beauty  and  prodigal  richness  of  this  magnificent  work  of  art.  We 
have  heard  of  two  other  copies  in  this  State  since  we  had  occasion  to  men- 
tion this  matter — one  belonging  to  F.  B.  Fog,  Esq.,  of  this  city,  the  other 
to  the  Columbia  Institute ;  the  latter  of  which  is  used  to  lecture  upon  be- 
fore the  pupils.  Every  literary  institution  in  the  State  should  be  provided 
with  a  copy,  particularly  as  after  the  first  series  is  issued  in  this  country, 
ihe  plates  are  to  be  taken  back  to  England.  It  is  a  work,  therefore,  that 
must  hereafter  greatly  increase  in  value ;  and  those  who  contemplate  se- 
curing it  should  not  delay  making  use  of  the  opportunity  now  presented.— 
Nashville  Republican  Banner,  April  30,  1850. 

BOYDELL'S  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  SHAKSPEARE— Restored  by  Dr.  Spooner,  of 
New-York  —From  the  time  of  Dr.  Spooner's  announcement  of  his  inten- 
tion to  attempt  the  restoration  of  Boydell's  splendid  plates,  we  have  felt  the 
warmest  sympathy  in  the  enterprise.  The  magnificence  of  the  original 
undertaking,  the  enthusiastic  spirit  in  which  Boydell  embarked  in  his  great 
design,  and  the  wealth  he  lavished  with  a  liberal  hand  in  laying  the  sister 
arts  of  painting  and  engraving  under  contribution,  in  the  production  of  a 
monument  to  Shakspeare;s  genius,  second  only  to  that  which  '*  the  myriad- 
minded"  man  had  erected  for  himself  long  since,  won  the  homage  of  all 
lovers  of  Shakspeare's  genius.  But  alas  !  few  of  them,  comparatively, 
were  able  to  enjoy  the  possession  of  the  prize.  The  cost  of  Boydell's  en- 
gravings placed  them  beyond  the  reach  of  any  but  the  wealthy.  Boydell 
received  two  guineas  the  plats  for  the  first  three  hundred  impressions,  and 
one  guinea  on  the  general  subscription  list,  always  paid  in  advance.  Dr. 
Spooner  has  performed  wonders,  we  think,  in  the  restoration  of  these  plates. 
—Louisville  Journal,  May  2,  1850. 


AGENTS 

FOR   BOYDELL'S   ILLUSTRATIONS    OP    SHAKSPEARE 


BOSTON — Redding  &  Co.,  No.  8  State-street. 
WORCESTER — Edward  Livermore. 
PROVIDEECE — Rowe  &  Co. 
SPRINGFIELD — W.  B.  Brockett. 
HARTFORD — Brown  &  Parsons,  182  Main-street. 
NEW-HAVEN — Durrie  &  Peek,  70  Chapel-street. 
ALBANY— W.  C.  Little  &  Co.,  53  State-street. 
UTICA — W.  W.  Backus,  155  Genesee-street. 
ROCHESTER — Edwin  Scfanton,  25  Buffalo-street. 

"  D.  M.  Dewey,  Arcade. 

BATAVIA — William  Seaver  &  Son. 
BUFFALO — George  H.  Derby  &  Co.,  164  Main-street. 
CLEVELAND — Joseph  Sargeant,  Superior  Lane. 
PITTSBURGH — John  D.  Davis,  corner  of  Wood  and  Fifth-streets. 
CINCINNATI — Post  &  Co. 

LOUISVILLE — Maxwell  &  Co.,  451  Main-street. 
ST.  Louis — Meredith  Ogden. 

NEWARK — John  L.  Agnes,  No.  2  Commerce-street. 
PHILADELPHIA — Getz  &  Buck. 
BALTIMORE — William  Taylor  &  Co. 
WASHINGTON — Taylor  &  Maury,  Pennsylvania  Avenue. 
RICHMOND — A.  Morris. 
CHARLESTON — William  R.  Babcock. 
NEW-ORLEANS — Daniel  Rice. 
TUSCALOOSA — F.  A.  P.  Barnard. 
SAVANNAH— W.  T.  Williams. 
MOBILE— J.  K.  Randall  &  Co. 

OHIO — (North  of  the  Cumberland  Road) — Parsons  &  Co.,  Elyria. 
DETROIT — C.  Morse  &  Son. 


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